Greenwich Council has confirmed the by-election to select a new member for Glyndon ward will be postponed, as the authority continues to adapt to the coronavirus outbreak in London.

As late as Tuesday morning the council said it would proceed with plans to hold the by-election on April 9, pending Government advice.

However the authority announced later that day it would postpone the vote, following the move by other authorities across the country to suspend elections until after the peak of the viral outbreak.

It comes as the authority announced a variety of its regular council meetings would also be suspended in the coming weeks.

“As of 17 March 2020, all scrutiny meetings, housing panels and member level meetings are postponed until further notice,” a spokesperson for the council told the local democracy reporting service.

“As Cabinet meetings involve a small number of attendees, these meetings will proceed, but with social distancing measures put in place.

“The Council is awaiting legal advice on regulatory meetings such as planning and licensing.”

It means the council will operate a councillor short, after former Labour member Tonia Ashikodi resigned earlier this month following her conviction for fraud.

The vote was set to be contested by candidates from the four major parties, with no independents nominated by last week’s cut-off date.

Labour nominated PR professional and former Bexley councillor Sandra Bauer, while local businessman Naveed Mughal was set to contest for the Conservatives.

Stewart Christie, who ran for the hyper-local Plumstead Party at the 2018 local government election, was selected to have another crack for the Liberal Democrats, while the Greens put forward Leonie Barron, who also ran in 2018 for the party.

Elections for the Greater London Assembly and London Mayor, which were meant to take place in May, were postponed earlier this month until next year.