Staffordshire voters are set to go to the polls on May 6 – but they will be asked to wear face coverings and bring their own pen or pencil to make their mark.

The Government is working with the Electoral Commission to run elections on the first Thursday in May, but with measures to keep voters, staff and candidates safe and socially distanced.

A full Staffordshire County Council election is due to take place this year – and a number of polls scheduled for May 2020 were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In Staffordshire these included election for the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) post, 13 members of Cannock Chase Council and 10 members of Tamworth Borough Council. These two authorities hold their elections "by thirds", meaning residents go to the polls three years out of four.

A Creswell Parish Council election was also due to take place in 2020 after all the previous members resigned at the start of the year. A caretaker team of three Stafford Borough Council members has been handling Creswell parish business alongside a clerk for several months.

And Stone residents were set to go to referendum last year to decide whether or not to back the town's Neighbourhood Plan, which has taken several years to prepare and gives a blueprint of how the community wishes to see the area develop in the coming years. The town council is also now facing a by-election for one seat following the resignation of a former member last month.

The Government published a May 2021 polls delivery plan on Friday (February 5) setting out measures to enable elections to go ahead.

Around £92 million of grant funding will be given to local authorities running elections, including £31m to directly address costs associated with making the process Covid-secure.

Those who are shielding or do not wish to attend a polling station will be encouraged to apply for a postal or proxy vote. Rule changes mean anyone who is self-isolating will be able to request a proxy vote until 5pm on polling day

Voters who plan to attend their local polling station will be asked to wear a face covering and bring their own pen or pencil to mark their ballot paper, rather than using the pencils usually provided in booths. Other measures will include hand sanitiser and cleaning of touch points, as well as screens and markings if needed to maintain social distancing.

Election candidates and their agents will be given additional guidance on how to carry out their campaigns safely, as current lockdown measures restrict traditional activities such as leafleting and door knocking. Other methods such as campaigning online and by phone, as well as postal delivery of leaflets, can be carried out without increasing face to face contact however.

The publication of the polls delivery plan comes just days after Stafford Borough Council's leader Patrick Farrington called on the Government to make a firm decision on whether or not elections would take place in May.

He said: "Many voters are still reticent about venturing out from their homes, relying on family, friends and volunteers, where the rules permit, to fetch essential supplies, so how would they even visit a polling station to cast their vote?

"Not all polling stations are large community spaces. Some venues are as small as local pubs and even caravans in rural areas. You can only imagine the work that would have to be undertaken to make these venues Covid-compliant.

"Socially distanced queues, spaced out voting booths, would all present difficulties – and then there is the number of staff required to operate the venues and undertake all the preparatory work, particularly given that they are currently so hard pressed dealing with the day to day running of the council under extreme conditions."

"It is very important we get a decision now on whether we hold the polls in May to avoid unnecessary costs and resources – as well to alleviate the increased pressure elections teams across the country will find themselves under."