A PARISH poll to gauge public opinion on the use of the New Road common land is to take place on Thursday, May 24.

Details about voting have been posted on the South Lakeland District Council's website.

Kendalians will get the chance to answer yes or no to a question decided on at a public meeting last month.

The question is: "Do you want SLDC to change/create/amend a by-law to enable free parking on New Road Common Land?"

To be eligible to vote, electors must live in the parish of Kendal and have been registered to vote.

Unlike the recent local elections, electors in a parish poll are only able to vote between the hours of 4pm and 9pm.

They will also only be able to vote by going along in person to vote at a polling station, as the rules that govern a parish poll do not allow electors to vote by post or proxy, nor do they allow for poll cards to be issued as notification of poll.

The locations of polling stations are listed here: https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/voting-and-elections/elections/kendal-parish-poll/.

A spokesperson for SLDC said: "While the Returning Officer has agreed that the question is capable of being considered at a parish poll and meets the criteria, that does not mean that it is possible to give effect to the proposals.

"While there are by-laws which prohibit driving on the common land at New Road, the legislation relating to common land also makes it clear that the council cannot allow a nuisance to occur on common land.

"The extent and intensity of the parking that was occurring on the land was such that it amounted to a nuisance. In order to permit parking to such an extent, irrespective of the effect of any by-laws, it would be necessary to make an application to de-register the land as common land.

"Removing or amending the by-laws is therefore possible, but in isolation would not automatically allow parking on New Road Common."

The outcome of the poll is not binding. Kendal Town Council is required to pay for the poll at an estimated cost of up to £12,000 which will ultimately be met by the tax payers of the town.