Your opportunity to help shape the future of Desford Parish is imminent!

A Neighbourhood Plan provides the opportunity for communities to provide a positive vision for how they want their neighbourhood to develop over the next ten, fifteen, twenty years.

It is a massively influential document that means your community can choose where new homes, shops and offices are built, and have your say on what those new buildings should look like and what infrastructure should be provided to support them.

Early in March, a questionnaire will be delivered to every household in the Parish. Full instructions will be provided on how to complete it and what to do with it afterwards.

Do not squander this vital, one-time opportunity to help shape the future of your neighbourhood. Please, please complete the questionnaire. What’s more, as an additional incentive to participate, there will be an opportunity to enter a prize draw.

If you care what happens in your neighbourhood, do not miss your opportunity to have a direct impact on its future.

Look out for the questionnaire!

Once the questionnaire has been issued to all parishioners in the Desford Parish, and then collected, the responses will be collated. These responses are likely to raise a number of issues of concern to local people. The working group will then recruit independent consultants to seek out and analyse relevant information about these issues, so that a strong and coherent case can be made.

The results of the responses to the questionnaire and the outcome of these consultations will then be used by the Working Group to build a Neighbourhood Plan for Desford Parish. This will then be taken to Desford Parish Council and if approved will be distributed widely within the Parish.

How will the referendum work?

After the plan has been examined in public by an Independent Examiner, and his decisions incorporated in the final version, it will be put to a referendum of all the electors in Desford Parish.

If at referendum more than 50% of those voting vote in favour of the proposals, Hinkley and Bosworth Borough Council Council will adopt the plan as statutory planning policy.

Who can vote?

Everyone on the electoral register (at the date of the vote) within the Desford parish area is entitled to vote. They will receive a poll card informing them when and where to vote.

When will it happen?

The referendum will usually take place within 60 days of your ‘Decision Statement’. HBBC’s Electoral Services team will organise the referendum on your behalf and the Council will cover the costs. The referendum will be conducted in the same way as local elections (e.g. residents will be able to vote by post or in person). All referendums will be advertised no later than 25 days before the poll is due to take place.

How will the referendum be advertised?

Information regarding any Neighbourhood Planning referendums will be made available on the HBBC , Desford PC and Desford Vision websites and in the library at least 28 days before the date of the referendum. The following information will be displayed:

• A referendum will be held and on what date
• The question for the referendum- ‘Do you want HBBC to use the Desford Neighbourhood Plan to help it decide planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area?’
• A map of the referendum area
• An additional map where the referendum area differs to the Neighbourhood Area
• Statement of who is entitled to vote
• The referendum expenses limit applicable and the number of people identified as entitled to vote on which the limit was calculated
• That the referendum will be conducted in accordance with procedures similar to those for local government elections
• The address and times at which a copy of the published documents can be inspected
• Along with specified documents, including the draft Neighbourhood Plan, the independent examiners report, a summary of representations submitted to the examiner, a statement that HBBC is satisfied that the plan meets the basic conditions, general information on town and country planning (including Neighbourhood Planning, to ensure voters have sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision).

Conclusion!

The referendum is make or break for our Neighbourhood Plan. DPC and its Neighbpurhood Plan Working Group will work hard to ensure adequate publicity is given to our Neighbourhood Plan throughout the process and we will aim to Involve a wide range of local residents, businesses and community organisations.