The majority of council meetings that were due to take place over the next few weeks in Enfield and Haringey have been called off.

It comes amid growing concern over the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus, with the Government urging people to minimise contact with others to avoid spreading the disease.

All but essential meetings have been cancelled in both boroughs. At meetings that do go ahead, safety measures will be taken to reduce the risk of anyone catching the virus.

In Haringey, a full council meeting on Thursday (March 19) and a meeting of the Alexandra Palace and Park Board on Monday (March 23) are the only ones currently set to go ahead as planned.

In Enfield, meetings of the planning committee on Tuesday (March 24) and April 21 will go ahead, but the public will be excluded.

The planning committees will only be considering applications that “cannot wait”, and anyone with a right to speak at the meetings will be invited to make written comments.

The council says the meetings will be managed under strict social distancing arrangements.