Referendum
The referendum on the Fleckney Neighbourhood Plan will take place on Thursday 6th May 2021 when electors for the Parish of Fleckney will have the opportunity to vote on the question "Do you want Harborough District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Fleckney to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
Harborough District Council has made the following statement regarding the referendum:
FLECKNEY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN DECISION STATEMENT AND INFORMATION STATEMENT (see below)
1. Summary
1.1 Following an Independent Examination, Harborough District Council now confirms that the Fleckney Neighbourhood Plan will proceed to a Neighbourhood Planning Referendum on 6th May 2021.
1.2 This decision statement can be viewed at:
Harborough District Council Offices
The Symington Building,
Adam & Eve Street,
Market Harborough
Leicestershire
LE16 7AG
Open - Mon/Tues/Thu/Fri: 8.45am - 5pm. Wed: 9.30am - 5pm
Fleckney Library, 8 School Street, Fleckney, LE8 8AS
Monday: 14:00-19:00
Tuesday - Wednesday: Closed
Thursday: 14:00-17:00
Friday: 9:00-13:00
Saturday: 10:00-13:00
Sunday: Closed
Please note access may be restricted because of COVID. Please check before travelling.
All the specified documents can be found at https://www.harborough.gov.uk/directory_record/2241/fleckney_neighbourhood_plan
2. Background
2.1 In January 2016 Fleckney Parish Council, as the qualifying body, applied for Fleckney Parish to be designated as a Neighbourhood Area for the purpose of preparing a neighbourhood plan. After a six week consultation period the Neighbourhood Area application was approved by Harborough District Council (the Council) on 22 March 2016 in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations (2012)
2.2 Following the submission of the Fleckney Neighbourhood Plan to the Council, the Plan was publicised for a six week period and representations were invited. The consultation period closed on 11 September 2019.
2.3 The Council, with the agreement of Fleckney Parish Council, appointed an independent examiner, Ms Ann Skippers, to review whether the Plan met the Basic Conditions required by legislation and should proceed to referendum.
2.4 The Examiner’s Report concludes that, subject to making the modifications proposed by the Examiner, the Neighbourhood Plan meets the Basic Conditions set out in the legislation and should proceed to a Neighbourhood Planning referendum.
3. Decision and Reasons
3.1 At its meeting on 1st June 2020, the Cabinet agreed that all the Examiner’s recommended modifications should be accepted and that the amended Neighbourhood Plan should proceed to a referendum (see Cabinet resolution at Appendix 1).
3.2 The modifications proposed by the examiner have been made to secure that the draft plan meets the basic conditions. Appendix 2 sets out these modifications and the action to be taken in respect of each of them.
3.3 The District Council agrees with the Examiner’s recommendation that there is no reason to extend the Neighbourhood Plan area (Parish of Fleckney) for the purpose of holding the referendum.
3.4 The Examiner has concluded that with the specified modifications the Plan meets the basic conditions and other relevant legal requirements. The District Council concurs with this view and that the Plan complies with the provision made by or under sections 38A and 38B of the 2004 Act. Therefore to meet the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 a referendum which poses the question
‘Do you want Harborough District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Fleckney to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?
will be held in the Parish of Fleckney.
3.5 The date on which the referendum will take place is agreed as 6th May 2021.
Harborough District Council
www.harborough.gov.uk
E mail: customer.services@harborough.gov.uk
Contact Centre: 01858 82 82 82Market Harborough
Text Messages: 07860 041908
Referendum Result
The Fleckney Neighbourhood Plan received a resounding YES vote in the referendum held on Thursday 6th May 2021. The policies in the Plan, when Harborough DC has issued the final decision notice, will become a statutory part of the planning process and will need to be taken into account when decisions on planning applications in Fleckney are taken.
