Concerns continue over safety ahead of elections

摘要

Concerned council chief executives have continued to express safety fears about holding elections in May despite regional returning officers telling ministers it can be done. Local government bosses have privately pleaded with senior Whitehall officials to delay the elections amid fears a May date will become a 'super spreader event' that could be a 'disaster'. They have raised concerns about the safety of elections staff at counts, the availability of count venues with a number being used as vaccination centres, their ability to recruit the number of people needed due to infection fears and the risk that coronavirus will rip through polling station queues.