Let me put it this way. The classic distinction in the English language is this: a referendum is binding; a plebiscite is not.
To make things difficult, in French it is not the case at all. Indeed, I have a recollection that Mr. Patrick Boyer, an authority on referenda, wanted in 1992 to put this distinction into the legislation. He wanted what is now known as the Referendum Act to be called the plebiscite act. I understand his motion was rejected.
Clearly I think the best way to avoid the problem is to ban the word “plebiscite”—which, to make it worse, has very negative connotations in French—and to say this is a “binding referendum” or “non-binding consultative referendum”.