MORE than 150 residents voted in favour of calling a vote of no confidence against their local parish council.

It was standing room only at the Old School in Odiham, on Wednesday, 28 March after residents had grown tired of the Parish Council’s failure to uphold policies of the Odiham and North Warnborough Neighbourhood Plan.

Concern among residents came to a head at the end of February when seven of the 10 members of Odiham Parish Council supported an application to build large luxury homes in Odiham’s historic Deer Park, and area of land which was a scheduled conservation area.

Despite the planning proposal having more than 500 objections from residents, the parish council decided to vote the plan through, which angered many locals, leading them to believe they are not being proper represented by their councillors.

The meeting of villagers was chaired by North Warnborough resident Charles Peal.

Mr Peal said: “The reason for this evening’s Meeting is a small but important step in the poll process.”

Mr Peal outlined what the vote would mean, and he encouraged more people to engage in localism before the parish elections just over a year away.

Addressing the meeting Odiham resident Richard Coleman said he has become

“disillusioned and disappointed” in the actions of the parish council.

He added: “Where is democracy in action when Odiham Parish Council brusquely dismisses the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

“How can the council reject the views of the electors who clearly voted for the Neighbourhood Plan with a huge majority, by supporting the Deer Park development in direct contravention of several Neighbourhood Plan policies?

“Where is democracy served when again the clear majority of the community has demonstrated opposition to any Deer Park development despite the claims of council members that the so called” benefits” outweigh any objections.”

When asked the question “Have you lost confidence in those Parish Councillors who did not uphold the policies of the Neighbourhood Plan when they failed to object to the Deer Park planning application?” Residents voted overwhelmingly yes with 153 votes for yes, four no and four abstentions.

This vote will no got to Hart District Council who will review the evidence and decide whether it is necessarily to hold a parish poll.