VOTERS in Malvern will be asked to turn out twice within seven days after new plans for elections were announced.

The government has cancelled elections for Worcestershire County Council until June 7, in order to devote its energies to dealing with the foot and mouth crisis.

There is speculation that Prime Minister Tony Blair will also call a General Election for the same day.

Elections to Malvern Town Council are also needed, following a spate of recent resignations, but election organisers say they do not have the capacity to hold three on one day.

As insurance against a General Election, the town council elections have now been scheduled for Thursday, June 14.

Elections for vacancies in Link, West, Langland and two in Trinity have been demanded. There is also a vacancy in Priory Ward and now another in the Link, following the resignation of Ian Hopwood. If elections are formally demanded for those two seats before Easter then they will also be held on June 14.

The government is preparing to put emergency legislation through the House of Commons to formalise the new arrangements.

Meanwhile, voters have been given an early indication of who is standing for Worcestershire County Council.

Under the timetable for a May 3 election, the nominations closed at noon on Tuesday and have been published. But this list cannot be seen as final as under new arrangements as fresh nominations can now be accepted up to noon on May 10.

If things stay as they are, Tenbury would have a Green councillor in the shape of Michael Jenner, as he is unopposed. Alwyn Davies, the Conservative candidate in Hallow, is also currently unopposed as is Diane Rayner in Malvern Chase, the seat she currently represents.

Green candidate Ann Storey-Day is contesting Croome, where she will challenge the sitting Conservative councillor Bob Bullock.

There are two candidates chasing a seat in Malvern Link, Beryl Hickling for the Conservatives and David Williams, the current Mayor of Malvern, for the Liberal Democrats.

The same situation exists in Malvern Trinity with two candidates for one seat, David McKerracher for the Conservatives and Jeremy Webb for the Liberal Democrats, and in Malvern Langland, where Liberal Democrat Jennette Davy and Green Robert Dowler are standing.

In Powick, the candidates competing for the seat are the Liberal Democrat Tom Wells and the Conservative Toby Bruce-Morgan.

One current councillor has yet to make a final decision on standing for re-election, Coun Barbara Watton, who represents Malvern Link.