A REFERENDUM on Bracknell Town Council’s neighbourhood plan could cost Bracknell Forest Council up to £100,000.

However, £85,000 of this would be funded by a grant given to BFC.

A report produced for the local authority read: “The grant funding will not fully cover the costs of the examination and referendum.

“Officers will investigate ways in which the cost of the referendum might be reduced but it is very unlikely to be achievable within the grant funding.”

Bracknell Town Council’s neighbourhood plan will focus on environment, heritage, housing, economy, employment, transport and infrastructure planning issues for the next 18 years up to 2036.

When the neighbourhood plan has been prepared, it will then be submitted to Bracknell Forest Council and checked for legal compliance as well as being publicised for a minimum of six weeks.

Bracknell Forest Council will then consider the report and “make a decision on whether the plan meets the basic conditions” and “whether to hold a referendum on the Bracknell Town neighbourhood plan”.

Should the referendum be successful, the Bracknell Town neighbourhood plan will form part of the Bracknell Forest Council’s development plan, meaning it will be used when assessing planning applications relating to land in Bracknell Town.

On Tuesday, July 17, councillors met to approve that the council’s response to Bracknell Town Council on their draft neighbourhood plan be delegated to the leader of the council rather than the executive.

This is because the executive will not meet in August.