A local referendum on the Broomhaugh & Riding Neighbourhood Plan will take place on Thursday 5 October 2023 and all residents in the Parish who are registered to vote will be able to have a say on the Plan. 
 

The Parish Council has engaged with the community to produce the Plan which addresses issues local people have identified as important in their local area. 
 

The Neighbourhood Plan passed an independent examination in June 2023 and it can now move towards the final steps in the process which involves holding a local referendum.  
 

Residents will be asked whether they want Northumberland County Council  to use the Plan in future to help decide planning applications in the Parish of Broomhaugh & Riding. 
 

The referendum will run in the same way as a local election, with all those eligible to vote receiving a polling card, and the options of postal and proxy voting being available to those who are registered.  
 

The poll will take place from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 5 October and people will find details of which polling station to attend on their polling card. This year, under new legislation voters will need to show appropriate photographic ID if voting in person at the polling station. 
 

Accepted forms of ID include: a photocard driving licence (full or provisional), passport, concessionary travel pass, such as an older person’s bus pass, or blue badge.  Voters will be able to use expired photo ID, as long as it remains a good enough likeness for the polling station staff to be able to identify the voter.  The photo ID should be the original version and not a copy.   
 

Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID will be able to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate either online or by completing a paper application. 
 

The full list of accepted ID is available on the Electoral Commission website, along with more information about the new requirement and details of how to apply for free voter ID, at electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID. 
 

New applications to register to vote must be received by Tuesday 19 September 2023 and new applications for postal voting must be received in the elections office by 5pm on Wednesday 20 September 2023. Residents should contact the elections team as soon as possible on 01670 624844 if they want to register to vote or register for postal voting. 
 

The Broomhaugh & Riding Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents can be viewed on the County Council’s Neighbourhood Planning website at: www.northumberland.gov.uk/ourplan