Doubts over election

PANDEMIC COULD MEAN MAY 6 VOTES ALL POSTAL DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING

HOW Kirklees residents vote in the May elections is up for grabs given the uncertainties the pandemic has triggered.

Last year’s elections were abandoned in the wake of the first national lockdown and the signs for the forthcoming one are not great.

Due to the current restrictions with Covid and the need for social distancing, Kirklees Council cannot use temporary units as polling stations for elections to be held on Thursday, May 6.

This is because they are too small and do not meet government guidelines in terms of the requirements for social distancing.

For example, in Dalton the temporary polling station on Harwood Close could potentially be replaced by Almondbury Community School on Fernside Avenue or The Stag pub on Wakefield Road.

Among those councillors due to defend their seats are Bernard McGuin, (Con, Almondbury), Andrew Cooper, (Greens, Newsome) and Richard Eastwood (Lib Dem, Lindley).

Clr McGuin, (Con Almondbury), said: “It’s very frustrating and we can’t rule out the government deciding it could be a 100 per cent exclusive postal vote this time around.

“I’ve had 8,000 leaflets printed and I can’t deliver a single one of them.

“And it’s looking like there may not be an opportunity for any physical campaigning at all given the timescale.

“It will be a national decision by the government as to what happens. I’m not a great fan of an all-postal ballot but you can’t rule it out.

“Obviously polling stations, if they are used in this election, have to be safe.

“The temporary buildings usually used only have one way in and out, so they are deemed not safe for elections.

“Kirklees’ task was to find buildings where voting safely could be accommodated.

“Some suggestions, to replace three portable polling stations in the Almondbury and Lepton ward, were out of the polling boundaries and I think it should be appreciated this is not an easy task to find a suitable replacement.”