Local elections are fast approaching and Hitchin Nub News will be covering democracy in action in a fair and unbiased way.

As always Nub News take a neutral political position - but whatever your political stance we urge residents to go out and vote to make your voice heard. And as you will read in our story it is absolutely safe to visit the ballot box next week.

Please note we will be providing a platform for those candidates who wish to use it.

We believe local journalism has a part to play in the democratic process by reporting on the coming days.

Purdah is a convention not a law, and if a candidate or a party decides they would like to share their news with our many thousands of readers - and voters - we will not to be afraid to run their opinion.

This invitation extends to each and every candidate from every political party.

And we can assure you we will we absolutely fair to all, regardless of political party.

HNN holds no political allegiance and favours no politician. What we care about is fair and honest reporting of a hugely important democratic process that has been overlooked for far too long.

These forthcoming local elections are simply too important not to cover beforehand - and we cannot stress enough that the purdah convention is exactly that. A convention, not a law. Free speech in a democracy is vital to the long term health of this country.

So, if you are a candidate you are invited to email us anything you would like to share to [email protected].

Memo to political candidates: Don't say you haven't been invited

And to our many, many thousands of readers of every political persuasion - HNN urges you to get out and vote next Thursday - it's too important not to make your voice heard, whoever you vote for.

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HERTFORDSHIRE'S public health chief Jim McManus has assured voters next week's elections will be safe across our county including Hitchin and surrounding areas.

Local elections are being held across Hertfordshire on Thursday (May 6), for councillors and for the Police and Crime Commissioner.

This means thousands of people are expected to visit the local polling station in our town and north Herts.

Mr McManus had initially encouraged the use of postal votes in a bid to reduce the risk of transmission at polling stations. But with rates of Covid infection continuing to fall, he says he now plans to vote in person – rather than using a postal vote.

Mr McManus said: "It will be very safe to turn up at a polling station.

"I said I would have a postal vote some time ago – but actually I am quite happy to turn up at a polling station."

Mr McManus said he had initially planned to avoid the polling station to reduce numbers and improve safety, by not adding to the pressure.

But with cases falling and strong election guidance he now stresses, 'it will be perfectly safe for people to turn up and vote'.

Hand sanitiser, floor markings and the requirement to wear face coverings are among the measures being planned to keep polling stations safe.

Mr McManus is appealing to every voter to clean their hands on the way in and the way out, as well as keeping a 'really safe' distance at all times.

He also suggests taking a black ink pen to the polling station, to avoid touching a pen that has been used by someone else.

Meanwhile Mr McManus has also defended the decision taken in Hertfordshire to delay the counting of the votes in order to quarantine the ballot papers.

Public health advice for the 'counts' in the county – which are organised by district and borough councils – is to quarantine the papers for 24 hours.

That advice is designed to reduce the risk of transmission through handling or from any aerosol particles, that could be generated from the tipping out of large quantities of papers.

Mr McManus has defended the county's 'very precautionary approach' to quarantine ballot papers, to give those counting the papers added confidence.

He said: "I think the reason for continuing to quarantine – when we discussed it with the Returning Officer and others – is a lot of staff saying it gives them added confidence.

"A lot of counting staff are in the age where they would be more vulnerable to this if they got it.

"Whilst most of us have now had the first dose of vaccination, there is something about giving staff confidence that we have taken a very precautionary approach."