Information for voters

Yapton Neighbourhood Plan Referendum - 12 September 2023

Information for voters

About this booklet

On 12 September 2023, there will be a referendum on a neighbourhood development plan for your area.  This booklet explains more about the referendum that is going to take place and how you can take part in it.  In this booklet you can find out about:

  • The referendum and how you can take part
  • The neighbourhood area
  • The neighbourhood plan
  • The development plan [of which neighbourhood plans are part]

Referendum on the Neighbourhood Plan

A referendum asks you to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a question.  For this referendum you will receive a ballot paper with this question

“Do you want Arun District Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for Yapton to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

How do I vote in the referendum?

You vote by putting a cross (X) in the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ box on your ballot paper.  Put a cross in only one box or your vote will not be counted.

If more people vote ‘yes’ than ‘no’ in this referendum, then Arun District Council will use the Neighbourhood Development Plan to help it decide planning applications in Yapton.

The Neighbourhood Development Plan once adopted will then become part of the Development Plan.  In the Arun District Council Local Planning Authority area the development plan currently consists of the Arun District Local Plan, the ‘made’ Neighbourhood Development Plans, the West Sussex Minerals Local Plan, and the West Sussex Waste Local Plan.

If more people vote ‘no’ than ‘yes’, then planning applications will be decided without using the Neighbourhood Development Plan as part of the Development Plan for the local area.

What is Neighbourhood Planning?

Neighbourhood planning aims to help local communities play a direct role in planning the areas in which they live and work.

A community can prepare a neighbourhood plan.  This plan can show how the community wants land to be used and developed in its area.

What is a neighbourhood area?

A neighbourhood area can cover single streets or large urban or rural areas.  The boundaries of a neighbourhood area are put forward by:

  • Town or parish councils
  • A neighbourhood forum (a group of at least 21 people in areas without town or parish councils)

In Yapton, the boundary of the neighbourhood area was determined by Arun District Council and is identical to the parish area of Yapton.

Who can prepare a Neighbourhood Plan?

Neighbourhood plans are prepared by town or parish councils, or neighbourhood forums.  In this case, the Yapton Neighbourhood Development Plan was prepared by Yapton Parish Council. 

What is a Development Plan?

In England, planning applications are determined by local planning authorities in accordance with the Development Plan.  A Development Plan is a set of documents that set out the policies for the development and use of land across the entire local authority area. Within the Arun District, the local planning authority is Arun District Council and Arun District Council is the local Planning Authority for Yapton.

Neighbourhood Planning in Yapton

The referendum area is the area identified on the map overleaf as the parish area of Yapton Parish Council plus the extended referendum area as recommended by the Independent Examiner includes the properties in the following parts of Ford Parish:

  • Fordwater Gardens;
  • Drake Grove;
  • Johnson Way/ Miles Close/ Junction Close/ Douglas Close;
  • Beagle Drive/ Wilson Court/ Wills Close/ Lewis Lane;
  • 2-54 (Evens only) Abbots Field;
  • 1-19 Northwood View;
  • The Cinders Lane Nursey site;
  • Land off Burndell Road; and
  • the residential properties on either side of Blundell Road between the boundary of Yapton and Ford parishes and Fordwater Gardens

(select image for a larger version)

Map of Yapton Parish

Referendum expenses

Expenses can be incurred by an individual or body during the period of the referendum for referendum purposes.

The referendum expenses limit that will apply in relation to the referendum is £2,612.04 The number of persons entitled to vote in the referendum by reference to which the limit has been calculated is 4238.

Specified documents

A copy of the specified documents, that is the documents listed overleaf, may be inspected at:

  • Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF between the hours of 8.45am to 5.15pm Monday to Thursday; and 8.45am to 4.45pm on Friday.

The specified documents are the:

  • Yapton Neighbourhood Development Plan 2011-2031
  • Report of the Independent Examiner
  • Summary of the representations submitted to the Independent Examiner
  • Statement by the Local Planning Authority that the draft plan meets the Basic Conditions (Decision Statement)
  • Statement that sets out general information as to Town and Country Planning including neighbourhood planning and the referendum (Information for Voters)

All the above documents can be viewed on Arun District Council’s website at

Yapton neighbourhood development plan 2 | Arun District Council

Can I vote?

You can vote in the referendum if you live in the Yapton Parish Council area and:

  • you are registered to vote in local council elections; and
  • you are 18 years of age or over on 12 September 2023

You must be registered to vote by Thursday 24 August 2023 to vote in the referendum.  You can check if you are registered to vote by calling our Helpline on 01903 737616.

The referendum will be conducted based on procedures which are similar to those used at local government elections.

Ways of voting?

There are three ways of voting:

In person on 12 September 2023:
  • At your local polling station.  It is easy and a member of staff will always help if you are not sure what to do
  • You must bring photographic identification in order to vote at the polling station.  For more information on voter ID, please visit Voter ID | Electoral Commission.  If you do not have any of the accepted forms of identification you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.  Completed applications must reach us by 5pm on Monday 4 September 2023. Please ring our Helpline on 01903 737616 or email us at elections@arun.gov.uk immediately if you need to apply.
  • In Yapton, the polling station is:
    • Main Hall, Yapton & Ford Village Hall, Main Road, Yapton BN18 0ET.
  • You will receive a poll card confirming your polling station for this referendum
  • If you do not receive your poll card, you can contact our Helpline on 01903 737616 or email us on elections@arun.gov.uk to find out where your polling station is
  • Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm
By post:
  • If you have a postal vote already, you will receive a poll card confirming this
  • To vote by post, you will need to complete an application form and send it to the electoral registration officer to arrive by 5pm on Friday 25 August 2023 at this address: Electoral Services, Arun District Council, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF
  • Postal votes can be sent overseas but you need to think about whether you will have time to receive and return your completed postal vote by 12 September 2023
  • You should receive your postal vote pack about a week before polling day.  If it hasn’t arrived by Wednesday 6 September 2023, you can ask for a replacement up to 5pm on 12 September 2023 by contacting our Helpline on 01903 737616.
By proxy:
  • If you have a proxy vote already, you will receive a poll card confirming this
  • If you can’t get to the polling station and don’t wish to vote by post, you may be able to vote by proxy. This means allowing somebody that you trust to vote on your behalf
  • To vote by proxy, you will need to complete an application form and send it to the electoral registration officer to arrive by 5pm on Monday 4 September 2023 at this address: Electoral Services, Arun District Council, Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5LF
  • When you apply for a proxy vote, you must say why you cannot vote in person
  • Anyone can be your proxy as long as they are eligible to vote in this referendum and are willing to vote on your behalf.  You will have to tell them how you want to vote. 
  • Your proxy will need to bring their own photographic identification in order to vote at the polling station.

Postal and proxy vote application forms are available from our Helpline on 01903 737616 or by emailing elections@arun.gov.uk. You can also download forms from the Electoral Commission website at: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/how-cast-your-vote.

Am I registered to vote?

If you are not registered to vote, you can apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote with your national insurance number by midnight on Thursday 24 August 2023.  If you do not have access to the internet please call our helpline on 01903 737616.

Alternatively you can complete a voter registration form (called an Invitation to Register) and send it to the electoral registration officer to arrive by midnight on Thursday 24 August 2023 at this address:

Electoral Services
Arun District Council
Arun Civic Centre
Maltravers Road
Littlehampton
BN17 5LF

Registration forms are available from our Helpline on 01903 737616 or by emailing elections@arun.gov.uk. 

How to find out more:

Published: 2 August 2023

Arun District Council
Arun Civic Centre
Maltravers Road
Littlehampton
BN17 5LF