Calls made for elections to be delayed until lockdown is fully lifted
Calls have been made for this year's elections to be delayed for up to three months to allow for door-to-door campaigning.
Local council elections are due to take place in many parts of the region on May 6, along with polls for West Midlands Mayor and West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.
But smaller political parties say a ban on doorstep canvassing and leafleting during the lockdown – announced last month by the Government – will unfairly dent their chances of victory.
Councillor Paul Woodhead, leader of Chase Community Independents Group in Cannock Chase, said Government advice to post campaign leaflets through Royal Mail was "an elitist decision" that would "exclude anyone without the financial means to use paid services".
In a letter to Cabinet Office minister Chloe Smith, Mr Woodhead said: "We call upon the Government to urgently review it’s advice to restrict the distribution of democratic information and delay the local elections by no more than three months to allow sufficient time for everyone with an interest in their local communities to make their case to the electorate following the lifting of lockdown, whenever that happens, and any resulting restrictions from the tiered nature of coronavirus response."
Concerns have also been raised over safety. Nick Machnik-Foster, of Wolverhampton Lib Dems, said the decision to hold elections during the pandemic was "nothing short of irresponsible".
May's elections were postponed from last year due to the pandemic. All four Black Country boroughs are holding polls, as well as Staffordshire County Council and Cannock Chase District Council.
The government has said the situation was being kept "under review" but there would be a "high bar" for elections to be put back again.
Conservative Party Chair Amanda Milling has suggested campaigning could start once lockdown restrictions are lifted.
In a letter to Tory councillors, the Cannock Chase MP said campaigning should be limited to online activities.
"I know colleagues are, like me, frustrated not to be able to get out there door-knocking, speaking to voters and leafleting," she added.
"This advice is only for the current period of national lockdown.
"The party anticipates that permitted activity will open up as we get closer to the election period, reflecting the broader expected changes to Covid-19 restrictions as vaccines are rolled out to the most vulnerable groups."
