A local authority has confirmed a number of people attending its full council meeting in September may have contracted Covid-19 at the session.

Calderdale Council has confirmed that following its meeting on Wednesday, September 22, held Halifax Town Hall's more spacious Victoria Hall to allow for social distancing, some attendees have tested positive.

Ben Leaman, Calderdale Council’s Consultant in Public Health, said: "We are aware that a small number of attendees developed Covid-19 symptoms and have subsequently tested positive.

"Based on the information we have, there is a possibility that they contracted Covid-19 at the meeting, even with the additional protective measures. As a result, and in line with national guidance, we recommended that all attendees should take a PCR test, and if they felt unwell, to self-isolate whilst awaiting the result."

"This precautionary measure is the usual public health response to situations where Covid-19 may have spread at a meeting like this.

"As the virus is still within our community, we can all play our part to control the spread by washing our hands and doing the five big things," he said.

The five things are giving others space, wearing a mask in busy places, getting tested and self-isolating if you had to, mixing outside or letting air in and getting both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine if you are eligible.

One councillor on his way to have a PCR test - those at the meeting were notified today (October 1) -  posted a Facebook video critical of the Government's decision not to renew legislation which allowed the council to hold meetings like this one using technology, as they had during the first year of the pandemic.

Coun Josh Fenton-Glynn (Lab, Calder) posted on his Facebook page: "I don't have symptoms but there is a potential outbreak at Calderdale's Full Council.

"This is the result of a Government decision that all council meetings have to be in person if you're making decisions and the reason I'm updating you on that is because it's one of those unnecessary risks we've been made to take.

"I understand the desire to open things up but when you can do things just as easily on Zoom, why put more people at risk?" he said.

Coun Fenton-Glynn said he tried not to be partisan when talking about COVID-19 but this was a case of getting simple things right.