Parish Polls are one offs in the democratic process. Local electors can call upon their Parish or Town Council to hold a Parish Meeting. There is a requirement for Parish and Town Councils to hold an Annual Parish Meeting at which they report back to the electorate, and they in their turn can raise any issues, and propose a Parish Poll on any issue pertinent to that community. In addition the electorate can also call for a Parish Meeting at anytime, and this is what happened to get to last night's meeting.
Those present who are on the Electoral Roll may propose a question to be put to local residents in the form of a Parish Poll with essentially a yes or no answer format. (I apologies if i'm not quite correct on any point, I never experienced a Parish Poll on my watch and if you want chapter and verse check with your Principle Authority).
Briefly, (because doubtless last night's meeting will be reported in other places by many different means), last night 36 electors agreed and voted to present the question below to Teignbridge District Council for validation, and then requested TDC to arrange a Parish Poll for registered electors to vote for or against the question:
“Do you want Whitecleave Quarry in Buckfastleigh to be used for any handling, processing or storage of industrial waste and bottom ash from waste incineration?”
The Poll in Buckfastleigh had a very high turnout for such format. 49.76% of voters turned out. Given that no polling cards are issued, there is only 5 hours to vote and their is no proxy or postal voting (which usually adds 15% to turnout), this was a massive vote. Typically only around 18% vote in such elections. With 95% opposing the Quarry plan, it is a real test of the democratic process and the localism bill. Do people's views count for anything?
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