Local referendums on the Warkworth and Eglingham Neighbourhood Plans will take place later this summer and all residents in the Parishes who are registered to vote will be able to have a say on the Plans.  
 

The Warkworth referendum will take place on Thursday 11 July, with the Eglingham referendum due to take place a week later, on Thursday 18 July. 
 

The Planning referendums are being held to get residents’ views on whether they wish to support these Neighbourhood Plans which address issues local people have identified as important in their areas.   
 

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

The referendums 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 polls will take place from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 11 July (Warkworth) and Thursday 18 July (Eglingham) and people will find details of which polling station to attend on their polling card.  
 

This year, under new government legislation, voters will need to show appropriate photographic ID if voting in person at the polling station. This new legislation does not apply to electors who vote by post. 
 

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   
 

For Warkworth, new applications to register to vote must be received by Tuesday 25 June and new applications for postal voting must be received in the Elections Office by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.  
 

For Eglingham, new applications to register to vote must be received by Thursday 2 July and new applications for postal voting must be received in the Elections Office by 5pm on Wednesday 3 July.  
 

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 Warkworth Neighbourhood Plan, and Eglingham Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying documents can be viewed on the County Council’s Neighbourhood Planning website at: www.northumberland.gov.uk/ourplan