A local referendum on the Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Neighbourhood Plan will take place on Thursday 23 November 2023 and all residents in the Parish who are registered to vote will be able to have a say on the Plan.  
 

The Town Council has held formal and informal consultation on the Neighbourhood Plan within the Parish, and the Referendum is the final stage in the Plan's preparation. 
 

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

If a majority of residents who vote in the referendum are in favour of the Plan, it will be used it will be used by officers at Northumberland County Council to help make decisions on planning applications in the Parish. 

 
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 23 November 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.  
 

The Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents can be viewed on the County Council’s Neighbourhood Planning website at: www.northumberland.gov.uk/ourplan