Democracy is about more than just being able to make your voice heard on election days. It should also be about being able to express a view on issues as they arise in between and, if enough people agree with you, to persuade those responsible for making policies to look again at any which prove very unpopular.

Petitions, for example, are a useful way of gauging public opinion. If a single petition attracts 4,000 signatures against an official proposal, it surely should prompt a rethink. That is the number of people who have declared themselves against Bradford Council's proposal to axe the city's street-warden service, and it's a fair bet that a great many more people who never got round to signing the petition will agree with them.

The street wardens clearly are highly regarded for the support they give to both the police and the public. Those fighting for their survival claim they are a crime-fighting asset. As such, with their high-profile uniformed presence in the city they are surely to be cherished - particularly at a time when Bradford is on the brink of major regeneration, when it will be very important to be able to stress a safe and trouble-free shopping environment.

The Council backtracked on its initial plan and gave the wardens a one-year reprieve to allow a comprehensive review to be carried out. Those responsible for assessing the findings of that review should bear in mind the fact that 4,000 people have gone on record as saying that they believe the wardens should stay.