Referendum FAQs
Designated Neighbourhood Area
The Designated Neighbourhood Area consists of the Parishes of Bolton by Bowland & Gisburn Forest.
The Town & Country Planning Act (Sched 4B) says:
(4) A person is entitled to vote in the referendum IF on the prescribed date:-
(a) the person is entitled to vote in an election of any councillors of a relevant council (Ribble Valley Borough Council) any of whose area is in the Referendum Area, and
(b) the person's qualifying address for the election is in the Referendum Area.
The default position is that the Referendum Area directly aligns with the boundary of the Neighbourhood Area i.e. to be eligible to vote you have to be on the RVBC Voters Roll for Bolton by Bowland or Gisburn Forest.
The Localism Act requires the independent examiner to consider whether the area for any Referendum should extend beyond the Designated Neighbourhood Area. If the independent examiner recommends that the area should be extended s/he also have to recommend what the extended area should be. The local planning authority (RVBC) has to make a decision on the referendum area, informed by the examiner's conclusions.
Important note: Representations can be made by ANYONE to the Examiner during the 6 week Consultation Period asking for the Referendum Area to be extended beyond the designated Neighbourhood Area