Having a say on the decisions that affect your community and the lives of you and your loved ones is an important fabric of our society.

At the extreme end of the spectrum are votes like the upcoming general election or the EU referendum.

More localised consultations - often run buy local authorities or oganisations - are extremely important too.

It's often the local decisions that have a greater impact on our lives than the national agenda that leads the headlines on the mainstream news.

Local planning decisions could involve housing developments, leisure, education or transport decisions that can benefit you and your family.

That's why it's important that as many people as possible respond to the council's Local Plan consultation.

The Local Plan is no ordinary consultation. It will set the agenda for the next 25 years. It will be a blueprint for the area and form a guide to other decisions and priorities down the line.

If you live in this borough you have a vested interest in the decisions this local authority takes.

Often change - even if positive - is hard to swallow for some. But standing still and doing nothing is not an option.

Development and progress is inevitable as Caroline Harper, chief planner for Be First, outlines.

Barking and Dagenham is situated in a unique position because of its proximity to London and also Kent via the Dartford Crossing (with not perfect but much improved traffic flow since the removal of the tolling booths and barriers).

The A13 and surrounding area offers a fantastic amount of land and with land comes opportunity.

So why not set aside some time to digest the Local Plan and respond. Have your say on the things that matter to you and will affect you and your family for many years to come.

And don't forget to get out and vote in the general election on December 12.