You CAN vote on May 6… but you must wear a mask and bring you own PENCIL! Local elections in England and Wales are given green light with strict Covid safety measures in place
- Local council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner votes set to go ahead
- Government officials had been mulling over plans to delay the vote due to Covid
- But, according to the BBC, officials are now set to green light elections on May 6
- Covid rules will include mandatory face masks and voters bringing own pencil
Local elections across England and Wales will go ahead as planned in May, but voters will have to wear masks and bring their own pencil, according to reports.
The elections, which include council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner votes, are due to take place on May 6.
Some of the elections were due to take place last year but were postponed due to the pandemic.
Westminster had been exploring the possibility of a postponement over Covid safety fears.
However Government sources say the elections will go ahead as planned, but with strict Covid measures, reports the BBC.
Measures include mandatory use of face masks in polling stations and the installation of hand-sanitising areas, while voters will be required to bring their own pen or pencil.
The elections, which include council, mayoral and police and crime commissioner votes, are due to take place on May 6. Pictured: Library image of residents arriving to vote at a polling station
The Government will reportedly make £70million will be made available to make polling stations Covid-secure.
However, amid concerns from parties such as the Liberal Democrats about the safety of door-to-door campaigning, ministers are expected to published a ‘detailed plan’ to help local authorities, parties and candidates make the process safe.
Almost 40million people are entitled to vote in the upcoming elections.
This years polls, the biggest for years, will see seats free in more than 140 councils – including 118 that should have been voted on last year.
Some 13 mayoral contests are also due to take place including in Greater Manchester and London.
It was reported earlier last month that Boris Johnson (pictured) had decided local elections in England will go ahead as planned on May 6
It comes after Conservative candidates requested polls be held in October if they are delayed until past July, because they fear it will be hard to find activists willing to go door to door in August.
Scotland has already introduced a law to make it possible to delay assembly elections and Wales was previously reported to be planning on doing something similar.
But it was reported earlier last month that Boris Johnson had decided local elections in England will go ahead as planned on May 6.
A Government source told MailOnline at the end of January that it has ‘always been the expectation’ that the May elections will go ahead and there is a ‘determination’ in Number 10 to stick to the date.
‘There is a principle about democratic process taking place,’ the source said.