Guildford Borough Council - Information statement

West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan

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About this statement 

A referendum on whether to adopt the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan will be held for residents of the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area (West Horsley Parish) on 22 November 2018. 

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This statement provides more information about the referendum, for example who can take part and how1. 

1 This statement is required by regulations 4(3)(a) and 4(3)(b)(v) of the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendum) Regulations 2012 (as amended). 

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The neighbourhood plan referendum 

The question that will be asked at the referendum is: 

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Do you want Guildford Borough Council to use the neighbourhood plan for West Horsley to help it

decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area? 

 

The referendum asks you to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to this question. Individuals entitled to vote will receive a ballot paper, which may be used to record their answer to this question. 

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If a majority of the votes received are in favour, Guildford Borough Council (the Council) will ‘make’ the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan. If the Plan is ‘made’, it will become part of the development plan for Guildford borough (see below) and help the Council to decide on planning applications in the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area. 

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The planning system 

The UK has a plan-led system of town and country planning. Local (borough, district and unitary) authorities make planning decisions based on policies in the local Development Plan, national policy, and other material considerations. The Development Plan is the starting point for determining any planning application. The planning policies within it help to decide how much and what type of development happens, what it looks like and where it goes. Guildford borough’s Development Plan consists of: 

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•  the saved policies of the Guildford Borough Local Plan 2003, 

•  waste and minerals plans produced by Surrey County Council, 

•  saved Policy NRM6 of the South East Plan, and 

•  any neighbourhood plans that have passed a referendum. 

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Neighbourhood plans 

Neighbourhood plans are produced for neighbourhood areas by parish or town councils or, in areas without a parish, by forums of residents and businesses, in consultation with their local communities. When a neighbourhood plan passes a local referendum it will become part of the statutory development plan and its policies must be used to help determine planning applications in that neighbourhood area. Neighbourhood plans therefore allow communities considerable influence over development in their own areas. 

 

West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan 

The West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan was produced by West Horsley Parish Council in consultation with West Horsley residents. It sets planning policies for the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area. 

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The parish council held its own consultation on the draft Neighbourhood Plan before submitting it to Guildford Borough Council. The Council then held a further consultation before sending the Plan and representations to an independent examiner to examine the Plan. 

The examiner recommended a number of modifications to the Plan, which the Council agreed with, to ensure that it complies with the basic conditions2 and other legislative requirements before proceeding to a referendum. The Referendum Version of the Plan is the final version of the Plan, and includes these modifications. 

 

How to view the Neighbourhood Plan and other documents 

The Plan and other specified documents3, as listed below, can be viewed online at www.guildford.gov.uk/westhorsley.

Paper copies are available to view at: 

•  Main reception, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4BB (open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday). 

•  Guildford Library, 77 North Street, Guildford, Surrey GU1 4AL (open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am–5.30pm, Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am–7pm, Saturday: 9.30am–5pm). 

•  Horsley Library, Parade Court, Ockham Road south, East Horsley, Surrey KT24 6QR (open Monday 2pm–5pm, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am–1pm & 2pm–5pm, Saturday: 10am–4pm). 

 

The specified documents are: 

•  The West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan (Referendum Version); 

•  The report made by the examiner on the West Horsley Neighbourhood Plan; 

•  Representations received during the Council’s consultation, which were submitted to the examiner; 

•  The Council’s Basic Conditions and Compliance statement; and 

•  A statement setting out general information as to town and country planning and the referendum (this information is contained within this Information Statement). 

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The referendum area and eligibility to vote 

The referendum area can be seen on the map at the end of this statement. It follows the boundary of West Horsley Parish and is the same area as the West Horsley Neighbourhood Area. 

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A person is entitled to vote in the referendum if on 22 November 2018: 

•  he or she is entitled to vote in a local government election in the referendum area, and 

•  his or her qualifying address for the election is in the referendum area. 

 

A person’s qualifying address is, in relation to a person registered in the register of electors, the address in respect of which he or she is entitled to be registered. This means that he or she must live in the address at which they are registered, and that this is the address that they are entitled to register for the purpose of voting (usually their main address). 

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Applications to be included on the register of electors for this referendum must be received no later than Tuesday 6 November 2018. 

You can check whether you are registered to vote by calling 01483 444 115. 

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Individuals, bodies and groups may campaign for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote. There is a legal limit to the amount of money that can be spent campaigning. The referendum expenses limit is £2487.97. This limit was calculated based on the number of persons entitled to vote in the referendum as of 3rd September 2018, which was 2,152. 

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The referendum will be conducted in accordance with procedures that are similar to those used at local government elections. 

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How and where to vote 

There are three ways to vote: in person, by post or by proxy. 

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In person 

Vote at the polling station at 

- The Green Room, Raleigh School, Northcote Crescent, West Horsley, KT24 6LX 

- West Horsley Village Hall, The Street, West Horsley, KT24 6DD 

 

between 7am and 10pm on 22 November 2018. 

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By post 

Fill in an application form and send it to The Electoral Registration Officer, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4BB by 5pm on Wednesday 7 November 2018. 

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Ballot papers can be sent overseas, but you need to think about whether you will have time to receive and return your postal vote by Thursday 22 November 2018, in these cases a proxy is recommended. 

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You should receive your postal vote about a week before polling day. If it doesn’t arrive in time, you can get a replacement up to 5pm on Thursday 22 November 2018. Replacement of spoilt or lost postal ballot papers can be obtained from Friday 16 November 2018. For more information please call 01483 444 115. 

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By proxy 

You may be able to vote by proxy. This means allowing somebody you trust to vote at your polling station on your behalf. The deadline to submit your proxy vote application is 5pm on Wednesday 14 November 2018. 

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Postal and Proxy vote application forms are available from the Elections team on 01483 444 115 or can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission website at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.