COUNCIL meetings have been suspended as the Government tries to delay the spread of the coronavirus.

Colchester Council announced a decision to suspend all its committee meetings until further notice.

A planning committee meeting scheduled for March 23 will still go ahead.

The decision follows the Government’s suspension of all upcoming elections, including for the office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and all Colchester Council seats.

The move to delay the elections until 2021 has attracted cross-party support.

Mark Cory, Lib Dem leader of Colchester Council, said: “The minister for local government has been briefing council leaders, saying there are a number of ways to potentially lessen the restrictions on committees such as voting without councillors being present and video calls.

“The most important thing for the council right now is protecting vulnerable people and focusing resources on the key services people rely on.

“We will make sure our staff are being looked after, we will keep them safe and respond where necessary.

“It is right for politicians to come together at this time.”

Tina Bourne, leader of the Labour group on Colchester Council, said the move to suspend elections was the right one.

“I know just how much capacity local elections take for council staff and and volunteers,” she said.

“It is clear local authorities are going to have to focus all their efforts on the statutory essential services they provide and the running of an election is a deviation from this.

“An election takes an enormous amount of work.

“I don’t think anyone who knows anything about local elections didn’t see this coming, so we were prepared.

“We weren’t putting dates on literature and campaigning has been suspended.”

Colchester Labour had announced Prof Pamela Cox, a University of Essex lecturer, would contest the New Town and Christchurch seat.

Ms Bourne added: “A week is a long time in politics, a year is an eternity.

“But knowing Pam as I do, I see the enthusiasm she has as far as representing her area is concerned and I can’t see that changing.”

At the moment the borough’s council is run by a minority administration including 13 Lib Dem and 11 Labour members.

The Conservative opposition holds 23 seats, Independents three, and the Green Party, one.

Conservative group leader Robert Davidson had hoped the election would provide his party with a majority and a chance to wrestle control of the council from the coalition.

“People’s health and safety has got to come first and this virus is going to get worse rather than better,” he said.

“Despite our frustration at losing an opportunity to change control of the council after 12 years, I think this is definitely the right move.

“We haven’t launched our manifesto and it would be inappropriate to do so now.”