Make sure you’re registered to vote in time for the local elections in May in order for you have a say on who you want to represent you.

On Thursday 2 May 2019 elections will be held for all Torbay Council wards. Local government elections select councillors, who are responsible for making decisions on running services in your local area. These include housing, education, transport, planning, parks, leisure, public safety and social care.

There’ll also be Neighbourhood Planning referendums for the Torquay, Paignton and Brixham Peninsula areas. Neighbourhood Plans give local communities the power to set out a vision for their area so they can shape growth and influence the type of development where they live and work. In Torquay and Paignton the plans have been prepared by Neighbourhood Forums and in the Brixham Peninsula the Town Council has produced the document.
The referendum will ask if you want the Council to use the Neighbourhood Plan for your area to help it make decisions about local planning applications. If the majority of people vote in favour of their Neighbourhood Plan then it will be adopted. Planning applications will still be determined by the Council in the normal way, but policies in your Neighbourhood Plan will be taken into consideration alongside the Local Plan for development in the area.
There won’t be any elections for Brixham Town Council, because all the seats were uncontested, which happens when the number of candidates is the same or less than the number of seats available.

In order to vote in the local elections and the Neighbourhood Planning referendums you must be on the electoral register.

Caroline Taylor, Returning Officer for Torbay Council, said: “With only a few days to go until the deadline to register to vote, we’re urging residents who haven’t registered at their current address yet to make sure they do so by midnight on Friday 12 April. Anyone can apply online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes just five minutes. If you are already on the register you do not need to contact us.

“These elections are an opportunity to make your voice heard and have a say on who represents you on issues that directly affect day-to-day life here in Torbay, so please don’t miss out.”

Adrian Green, Electoral Commission Regional Manager for Southwest England, said: “If you have recently turned 18 or moved home, it is particularly important that you act to ensure that you are registered to vote. It takes just five minutes online and means that you can take part in this important election.”

If you were registered to vote in the last election and your details have not changed, you will still be registered to vote.

If you are unable to get to your polling station on 2 May you can apply for a postal vote until on Monday 15 April at 5pm. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.

A list of all the people nominated to stand in Torbay’s local elections and details of how to register to vote, apply for a proxy and postal vote can be found at https://www.torbay.gov.uk/elections-and-referendums

For further information about the Neighbourhood Plan referendums visit https://www.torbay.gov.uk/neighbourhood-plan-referendums