12 February 2026 Neighbourhood Plan Referendum
Introduction
The Winthorpe with Langford Neighbourhood Plan Referendum will be held on Thursday 12 February 2026. Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. Poll cards will be sent to registered voters who are eligible to vote in this referendum. You can only vote if your name is on the Register of Electors.
An Information Statement (PDF File, 137kb) was published on Monday 5 January 2026 and provides more details about the referendum, including a link to view specified documents.
Voters will need to show photo ID to vote in person at polling stations this referendum. More information can be found at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id.
If you do not have an accepted photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate, online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. Applications should be made online or a form completed and returned to us by 5pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026 to receive your ID for this referendum. If you cannot apply online, please contact us.
We can also help you to make an application if you visit us at Castle House or Ollerton Advice office. We will need to check you are registered to vote and you will just have to provide your date of birth and national insurance number.
If you do not wish to vote in person, you can apply to vote by post, no photo ID is required.
Registering to vote
The current register was first published on 1 December 2025. If you are not registered to vote, have recently moved address, changed your name or nationality, you can apply to register online.
Your application should be made online or a form completed and returned to us by Tuesday 27 January 2026 to register for this referendum. If you cannot register online, please contact us. If you are already registered correctly, you do not need to register again for this referendum.
Postal and Proxy voting
Postal voting
If you would like to vote by post, you can now apply to vote by post online and this application must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday 28 January 2026 if it is to be effective for this referendum.
If you are unable to apply online, a paper application form is available from the Electoral Commission’s website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter. This paper application form should be completed and returned to us by 5pm on Wednesday 28 January 2026 if it is to be effective for this referendum. This form must not be completed with an electronic signature. You can complete and return this form to us by post or scan the completed form and email to: voting@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk. If you cannot print a form, please contact us.
You will need your National Insurance number to hand when applying to vote by post.
If you are granted a postal vote, you will not be able to vote in person at this referendum.
Postal ballot papers should be delivered by Monday 2 February 2026 if we receive the completed application by 5pm on Wednesday 28 January 2026.
If you are away around this date, we may be able to send your postal vote to a different address. You should contact us to see if this is possible. Alternatively, you could appoint a proxy who could vote on your behalf at your polling station.
Proxy voting
If you would like to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf, in some circumstances you can now apply for a proxy vote online and this application must be submitted by 5pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026 if it is to be effective for this referendum.
If you are unable to apply online, a paper application form is available from the Electoral Commission’s website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter. This paper application form should be completed and returned to us by 5pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026 if it is to be effective for this referendum. This form must not be completed with an electronic signature. You can complete and return this form to us by post or scan the completed form and email to: voting@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk. If you cannot print a form, please contact us.
You will need your National Insurance number to hand when applying to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf.
Appointing an emergency proxy
If you have become unable to vote in person since the deadline to apply to appoint a proxy at 5pm on Wednesday 4 February 2026 because of either illness, due to employment, or based on photo ID, you can apply for an emergency proxy. This application form should be completed and returned to us by 5pm on polling day if it is to be effective for this referendum. This form must not be completed with an electronic signature. You can complete and return this form to the address shown on the form or scan the completed form and email to: voting@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk.
Notice of Referendum
The Notice of Referendum (PDF File, 130kb) was published on Thursday 8 January 2026 and publicises the referendum.
Notice of Poll, including polling places
The Notice of Poll will be published no later than Wednesday 4 February 2026. This notice gives details of the referendum question and the polling places to be used.
Counting of the votes
Firstly, the ballot boxes will be verified to ensure that the number of ballot papers in each box is the number that has been issued. Postal ballot papers that are to be included in the count will also be verified. Once all votes are verified, the ballot papers will be sorted and counted for each answer to the referendum question.
The verification of the ballot boxes and counting of the votes will take place at Winthorpe Village Hall, Gainsborough Road, Winthorpe, Newark, NG24 2NN, following the close of poll at 10pm on Thursday 12 February 2026.
The Declaration of Result of Referendum will be published as soon as possible following the count.