Ashby residents should be able to vote in County Council elections next May - after one councillor said they will 'absolutely' take place in May next year.

Discussions about the impact of coronavirus and potential lockdown restrictions took place at a recent County Hall health scrutiny meeting.

Elections to elect county councillors are scheduled for May 6, 2021.

The Police and Crime Commissioner ballot is due to take place on the same date.

Councillor David Bill asked the director of public health his view on whether the polls will be open for voters to elect local representatives.

He said: "Normally at this time of the year, those of us who are county councillors would be out and about and running up and down the streets because we have a May election coming up.

"Are we going to have May elections or will the country still be in a lockdown?"

Chair of the meeting, Councillor Kevin Feltham, said: "I understand, and I've been speaking to a couple of people about this, Nick Rushton [leader of Leicestershire County Council] in particular has been asking the questions about this, and he's been told in the past couple of weeks that the May election is still absolutely on."

Councillor Bill responded: "But, how on earth will we have an election when people are stuck at home and not allowed to leave their house?"

Director of public health, Mike Sandys, gave his response and pledged a donation to charity if he's wrong.

"Whether the elections go ahead or not next year is not my say so, but if you're asking me to take a guess in terms of our ability to get out for members to get out and canvas and for elections to take place, I would like to think that with everything that's going on around vaccine development and testing development we'll be in a better place," he said.

Talking about next spring, he went on: "And we've heard the chief medical officer say that come April time next year we will be in a much better place if only because the seasons are with us and people are able to get outside, so I would still be hopeful, and pride comes before a fall, that members will be able to get out and canvas and leaflet at least in some way shape or form like they would have anyway.

"There you go, £50 donation to charity if I've got it wrong and elections don't take place next year.

"You can hold me to that."

Leicestershire County Council is currently under Conservative control.

The county is divided into 52 electoral divisions, which return a total of 55 councillors.