Referendum on neighbourhood plan to take place in five Northumberland parishes

Parishioners in Embleton, Wooler, Lesbury, Craster and Alnmouth will be able to vote on a neighbourhood plan for their area on Thursday, June 10.

Any resident who is registered to vote will be able to take part.

The referendum is run in the same way as a local election, with the ballot paper in this case asking: ‘Do you want Northumberland County Council to use the neighbourhood plan to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?’ Voters will be able to mark the paper Yes or No.

If a majority of residents who vote in the referendum are in favour of the plan it will be used to make decisions on planning applications in their parish in the future.

In each area the local parish council has led the process of developing the neighbourhood plan. Each has engaged with the community to produce a plan which addresses issues local people have identified as important in their area.

The referendums will take place from 7am until 10pm and people will find details of which polling station to attend on their polling card.

Those who are voting by post must make sure that their postal vote is completed and returned promptly for it to be included in the count. If it isn’t posted in time, completed postal vote packs can be handed in at the relevant polling station on June 10.

All of the neighbourhood plans and accompanying documents can be viewed on the county council’s website at: www.northumberland.gov.uk/ourplan

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