RESIDENTS in a sheltered home community in Tilbury have been astonished to learn their complex will play host to a local election polling station on Thursday, 6 May.

The community hall at the Lansbury Gardens OAP Complex has been closed because of Covid-19 in a bid to protect the vulnerable community that lives on the complex.

Residents have backed the closure, which was implemented by Thurrock Council who deemed it to be unsafe, even though some have said they might have liked to receive a rebate in their rents for the lack of a much-used facility which has played a big role in their well-being.

However, they did not expect that – at a time when restrictions on visiting premises indoors will still be in place – all and sundry will be walking into their complex on polling day.

One of the residents, Mike McGregor, sums up the concerns, telling Thurrock Nub News: "Due to the Covid pandemic the community hall here has been closed by Thurrock Council because it was deemed unsafe to use.

"That is acceptable under the circumstances but we do pay service charges and no mention has been made about a rebate for the loss of use of the hall.

"To rub salt in the wounds the hall is deemed to be safe to be opened to be used as a polling Station on 6 May so the general public will be walking through our complex and hall putting any pensioners at risk of Covid on our site.

"I have reported my fears to the council by way of the sheltered housing and her manager who have objected to the hall being opened as a polling station but it seems the decision was taken at a higher level.

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"To my mind the obvious solution would be to use a marquee as a polling station as schools are reluctant to open up to the public."