Archive:
(This document is for archive/historical
purposes)
The foot and mouth disease virus affects susceptible animals which include cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, wild boar, deer and certain zoo animals but not horses, dogs and cats or poultry. It is highly infectious. The virus can be carried to animals by people, vehicles and non-susceptible animals.
For the general public, the main risks arise from having contact with an infected animal, or its products, including excreta, and then transferring the virus on their hands, clothing and especially footwear direct to another animal. If people have animal dung on their footwear they should clean and disinfect them as soon as possible. The virus is sensitive to heat, and disinfectants, but it can remain active for some time on clothing or dried mud or dung on shoes or vehicles. Indirect transfer via person to person contact and then onward to another animal, is possible but unlikely.
These risks are greatest on premises where foot and mouth disease is known to have occurred and in the area around those premises. Although certain parts of the country have been categorised as "provisionally free areas", the widespread movement of animals before FMD was first recognised means that it is possible that disease could be present in any part of the country. Precautions must therefore be taken in any areas where livestock may be present.
The key message is to avoid all unnecessary contact with susceptible livestock and not to go on to farm premises or land where livestock are or may be kept.
The remainder of this guidance is in three parts. It has sections designed for candidates (and other activists), electoral administrators and the general public.
The message to those who are leafleting in rural areas is:
Before visiting a farm or farmland you should consider:
Whilst on the farm, visit only essential locations, preferably the house and garden only. Do not wander round buildings.
Take responsibility for your own actions whilst visiting farms and ensure the highest standards of personal disinfection and cleanliness is carried out at all times. Arrive at the farm clean. Wear clothing and footwear that can be cleansed and disinfected. If you have taken a vehicle, ensure that it is kept clean.
Ensure that all mud, slurry or manure is washed off before leaving the premises. Disinfectant (and water if needed) should be carried in vehicles at all times (Health and Safety Guidelines will apply). Apply disinfectant after washing.
Candidates who keep or handle livestock need to take particular care to avoid spreading foot and mouth disease to other people’s animals or to their own. They should seek to avoid going onto any premises where there may be susceptible animals. There are a number of steps that can be taken to reduce any risk.
Before leaving your own farm premises
Bear in mind that the vehicle, along with any items taken from the premises may well contain potentially infected material. These should be cleansed and thoroughly disinfected not forgetting the wheels and underside of the vehicle.
Disinfect your footwear before you enter the vehicle.
Arrange to meet people at farm boundaries and ensure they have carried out the precautions described.
Electoral administrators will have given thought to how the foot and mouth situation may affect their arrangements, especially if they have infected areas in their district. The following notes are based on general guidance - which can be found regularly updated at http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/default.htm
We have been alerted to a range of problems that electoral administrators may face but, in most cases, it must be said that local knowledge is more important than broad advice that we can offer. Electoral administrators will be considering contingency plans and will need to remain flexible in the face of future developments.
This guidance contains information for electoral officers and also for others - you might pass on relevant points, whoever needs them. It may be helpful to pass on details of the MAFF website for latest information about the foot and mouth situation.
The new regulations governing absent votes allow for postal votes on demand and clearly this is one way of overcoming the problem that electors may be confined to their properties and unwilling to move about unnecessarily in rural areas.
Electoral administrators are urged to promote the use of postal voting through liaison with local political parties and by publicity campaigns. Registration officers should make the Home Office leaflet and locally devised material available to the public and may want to consider sending application forms (under a covering letter) to voters. Only local judgement can determine whether all voters, those in particular areas or only those on infected premises should be targeted. The overall consideration must be one of electoral fairness.
The message to electoral staff who are moving about in affected areas in the course of their duties is:
A sufficient number of polling places must be provided and at least one per district where there are local elections. Electoral administrators may be faced with difficult decisions if normal polling stations, for example, abut farmland that is quarantined or at risk or they are reached by prohibited footpaths.
Wherever possible, there should be flexibility in the choice of polling station locations so that voters will not feel inhibited in attending to vote.
It may be that normal polling stations are unsuitable and that thought should be given to finding alternatives or perhaps designating the nearest available polling station.
In choosing where to locate polling stations, returning officers should, wherever possible, seek to avoid locations in close proximity to farms which have been affected by FMD. Polling stations should be accessible via the public highway so there is no requirement to cross farmland. Bear in mind the possibility of using mobile polling stations or portakabins.
The suitability of a polling station should continue to be monitored. If circumstances change you may need to find an alternative location and, where necessary, issue fresh poll cards and consider what other publicity may be required.
If you are an elector who is canvassed by a farmer, there is no cause for concern. Apart from the fact that the farmer will have taken precautions, the disease has not affected humans and domestic animals such as cats and dogs are not susceptible to it.
The returning officer will have exercised care in choosing where to site your polling station. Bear in mind that it might not be at the place where you usually vote. You will be sent a poll card giving details of where you should go.
Voters attending polling stations should:
Anyone who wishes to may vote by post. You do not have to give any reason as to why you want to vote in post rather than in person.
If you would like a postal vote you need to send an application form (click here for a copy of the form: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/postalvotes/index.htm) to the returning officer, who is an employee of the local council. You can find the council's address in the telephone directory. It must reach him or her by 5pm on Wednesday 30 May at the latest.