by Ed Dade
A designated neighbourhood forum is an organisation or group empowered to lead the neighbourhood planning process in a neighbourhood area where there is no town or parish council.
A group or organisation must apply to the district council to be designated as a neighbourhood forum (a forum application).
To be designated, a neighbourhood forum must have a written constitution and must have a membership that includes a minimum of 21 individuals who either:
Once designated, the neighbourhood forum has the same status as a parish council, for the purposes of neighbourhood planning. This site generally refers to the 'parish council' when referring to the body responsible for preparing the neighbourhood plan. However, this can be substituted for 'neighbourhood forum' in areas without a parish or town council.