VOTERS in parts of the county have been told not to panic over postal votes.

South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse district councils said all postal votes for this week’s local elections and alternative-vote referendum should now have arrived. There were fears that some forms had been delayed.

The councils confirmed the last postal polling cards should have been delivered on Saturday. Those who receive their votes too late to return by post can return them to the council offices or a polling station any time up to 10pm on Thursday’s polling day.

Speaking last week about the postal votes, the councils’ chief executive David Buckle said “getting them a week before is fine” but he suggested the recent Bank Holidays could have caused disruption.

He said there was no guideline for when the voting cards had to be sent out and added: “I could, in theory, send them out the day before the election.”

Meanwhile, Mr Buckle urged people to vote: “Taking 20 minutes out of your day to vote in the local elections will help ensure that your local services are managed and delivered in the way you want them to be.”