Despite assurances to the contrary, Solihull & Meriden Labour Party is genuinely concerned that this year’s elections could well be postponed again or, possibly, even worse take place in a way that risks spreading the virus. To do either of these things would be unthinkable. It is clearly not acceptable for Solihull electors and Council staff to be put at risk by expecting many tens of thousands of them to report to local polling stations. Equally, we already have a Metro-Mayor; Police & Crime Commissioner and seventeen councillors who, without facing an election, have already been in office for 12 months too long! Solihull & Meriden Labour Party believe that there is a relatively simple solution that allows the election to proceed to the usual timetable and importantly in a Covid-19 safe way. That solution is to conduct the election by ensuring that all electors vote by post. (see full resolution below).
Nick Stephens, Chair of Solihull and Meriden Labour Party, said ‘It would not be acceptable for Solihull residents to be denied, for the second year running, the right to vote for their elected representatives. But, neither would it be right, when we are nowhere near achieving population wide immunity, to expect any electors to have to visit polling stations. We also recognise that, particularly during lockdown, political parties must limit their campaigning and certainly not engage in face to face contact. That is why we are recommending that nominated candidates should be allowed to put a short statement in a booklet distributed in the postal vote mailing. We recognise that there will be some logistical challenges in making these changes but believe that these can be easily overcome.’
Note: This resolution was submitted to Solihull and Meriden Labour Party by Solihull Local Government Unison and passed unanimously by a General Meeting. The resolution read:
S&MLP notes that Covid-19 led to the cancellation of local elections and mayoral elections in May 2020. Subsequently, any vacancies caused by death or resignation have not been filled in the normal way through by-elections. A number of factors including new strains of COVID-19, lack of certainty over speed of deployment and efficacy of vaccinations etc. make it doubtful that many citizens will have faith that polling stations provide a covid-safe environment. There are issues for how staff expected to operate polling stations can do this in an entirely safe way. In addition, we also need to recognise that candidates will also need to limit their normal campaigning activities with advice ruling out normal canvassing activity and suggesting that even door to door distribution of materials should be avoided.
However, despite these constraints, this S&MLP
S&MLP therefore calls for:
a) The elections scheduled for May 2021 to proceed
b) The conduct of these elections to be solely by means of the postal distribution of ballot papers.
c) Candidates being provided with an opportunity to include a statement in the mailing to all voters, thus mitigating the need for face-to-face/door-to-door campaigning.
d) This approach to be submitted for endorsement by the Leader of the Opposition and more generally calling for support from political parties / civic society within the borough.”