A DORSET community will vote next week under a pioneering scheme to give residents more influence on local issues.

A referendum on the Cerne Valley Neighbourhood Plan is being held on Thursday, December 11. It comes after a group of local people spent the last three years working up the plan. If successful it will make the Cerne Valley the first in Dorset to boast a local plan.

The plan will allow locals in Cerne Abbas, Up Cerne, Nether Cerne and Godmanstone to help shape development and influence planning issues in the area.

Fred Horsington, a member of Cerne Valley Parish Council and chairman of the steering group for the neighbourhood plan, said that work had begun on the plan in 2011. He said: “The aim was to give people more of a say in planning and what the villagers really want rather than imposed by West Dorset District Council policies.”

Cllr Horsington said it was the first neighbourhood plan in Dorset to go to a referendum and that when he last checked there were just 45 others nationwide with around 1,200 in the pipeline.

He said that the response from the community had been generally supportive towards the proposals. Cllr Horsington said: “By and large it’s been really good. We’ve had one or two people that have had different views but you’re not going to please everyone.”

The polls will be open from 7am to 10pm with counting of the votes straight after at Cerne Abbas village hall and the result will be announced on the night.

Details at cernevalley.org