PARISHIONERS in Morval have voted in favour of their Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) by a generous margin.

With a turnout of just under 30% of eligible voters, there were 152 votes in favour, 22 against, and one spoilt ballot paper.

Colleen O’Sullivan, Senior Development Officer for Cornwall Council, said: “86% of voters supported the plan with a 28% turnout – this is above our average turnout for NDP referenda of 23%.”

Despite Cornwall Council having organised for the polling station to be outside the parish (due to a misunderstanding about the availability of venues within Morval), local people rallied round with lifts for anybody who needed one, and the Looe Lions provided their community bus to take voters to the poll.

Morval NDP Steering Group Chair Mike Willmott said: “It was great that so many people offered to assist, and we are so grateful to Looe Lions for their help as well. The overwhelming support for it is an example of the great community spirit within the parish, and a testament to all those who worked so hard to develop and deliver our Neighbourhood Development Plan.”

Parish council chairman John Collings said he was pleased that referendum day had run smoothly. “On behalf of the council can I thank the NDP steering committee (who were not councillors) for all their hard work over recent years in preparing the plan, and then for arranging transport, along with the Lions and other parish residents, for those who may have been inconvenienced by the choice of venue.”