THE nominations have closed - now all that remains is for members of a Southampton community to cast their votes.

The first ever Thornhill New Deal for Communities (NDC) elections open to the public are under way.

Among the countless large-scale projects undertaken by the NDC is the popular Thornhill Festival, which has taken place in September on Hinkler Green for the past two years.

Now eight people are battling it out for six places on the partnership board to share the responsibility in deciding these projects and there is more than a whiff of anticipation in the air. It's finally crunch time as the people of Thornhill spend the next three weeks deliberating over who they want to occupy the six seats representing the community in NDC projects.

In 2001, Thornhill received nearly £50m from the New Deal for Communities project to give it a fresh start.

The partnership board allows local people to represent their community and make sure the best use is made of the money for the area as a whole. Now residents are being urged to post or place their votes at the local housing office in Tatwin Crescent, the NDC office in the Eastpoint Centre and at the Thornhill library in Hinkler Parade between April 26 and May 14.

NDC Chairman Debbie King, said: "You need to believe in the NDC to take on the role.

"Also you need to help make decisions for the majority, knowing that it may not be what you wanted personally but that it is the best for the community as a whole. I really hope that the community gets behind these first ever elections and helps decide who will be their voice."

She added: "I have been chair of the board for three years and it has been a lot of work.

"But it is all worth it and whoever is elected will get the support and training they need to enable them to decide what NDC projects should go through."

The six new elected members will join the six retained resident members on the board until the retained members stand for re-election next year.

They will be in office for two years and responsible for deciding which NDC projects are financially viable and whether or not they should go through.

FACTFILE:

THE NDC Partnership Board was established in 2000. The 12 resident members hold a 60/40 per cent majority at six weekly meetings.

There are also nine invited representatives on the board who give their expertise on specific projects relevant to their trade or business and two seats for councillors.

Two youth seats are provided but these have not been taken up since the board was established in 2000.

The resident members also spend time with the working groups who sit at sub-board level to try and make ideas into workable projects.

The board has the final say on whether projects go through.