The Environment and Strategy Cabinet Member approved the recommendations of the Examiner's Report for the Barton upon Humber Neighbourhood Development Plan (BNDP) 2024-2039, allowing the plan to proceed to a local referendum. The decision included adopting the council's Decision Statement and confirming that the referendum area would be based on the Neighbourhood Area.

Barton upon Humber Neighbourhood Development Plan

The Environment and Strategy Cabinet Member considered a report from the Director: Communities regarding the Examiner's Report for the Barton upon Humber Neighbourhood Development Plan (BNDP) 2024-2039. The plan had been subject to an independent examination. The Cabinet Member approved the Examiner's recommendations, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, to modify the Neighbourhood Plan as outlined in the council's Decision Statement. The Cabinet Member also approved the Decision Statement, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, for publication on the council's website. Finally, the Cabinet Member agreed that the amended Barton upon Humber Neighbourhood Development Plan would proceed to a local referendum based on the Neighbourhood Area, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report.

Barton upon Humber Parish was formally designated as a Neighbourhood Area on 28 April 2020, which allowed Barton upon Humber Town Council to prepare the Neighbourhood Plan. The plan included substantial consultation with the local community and stakeholders. The Town Council submitted the plan and supporting documents to North Lincolnshire Council on 15 November 2024. North Lincolnshire Council publicised the submitted version of the Plan and supporting documents between 17 April 2025 and 4 June 2025, following the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations.

In June 2025, North Lincolnshire Council appointed an independent examiner to review the Plan. The examination was undertaken via written representations and included a site visit of the Neighbourhood Plan Area by the examiner. The Examiner's Report, received in July 2025, recommended modifications to ensure the BNDP met the basic legal requirements, and suggested that the plan should then proceed to a referendum. The report also recommended that the referendum area should coincide with the Neighbourhood Area.

According to the legislation, North Lincolnshire Council must decide what action to take in response to the examiner's recommendations, including what modifications to make to the Plan and whether the Plan should proceed to referendum. The council was also required to consider whether the referendum area should be extended beyond the designated Neighbourhood Area.