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Councillor Betty Rhodes, who chairs Wakefield's health scrutiny committee, said she was "very concerned" by the situation facing residential venues in the district.

The National Care Association, which represents providers, has been contacted for comment.

Despite suggestions at a full council meeting on Wednesday that the local testing service for the general public is running more smoothly following weeks of delays, Coun Rhodes said government promises to test care home staff on a weekly basis were not being fulfilled.

Coronavirus was a factor in the deaths of 116 care home residents in Wakefield between March 6 and June 20 this year.

She said: "I know the council has done a marvellous in connecting care homes during the pandemic.

"But I'm very concerned it's taking anything up to three weeks to get tests for residents for Covid.

"I'm wondering what can be done to get more tests readily available as per the promise from government, to make sure residents and visitors and and in a place where they know the tests are there to keep them safe."

Faith Heptinstall, the council's portfolio holder for health, promised to "look into" the issue.

Councillor Betty Rhodes said promises to regularly test people in care homes had not been fulfilled.

Care home providers in the Wakefield district were handed a collective £2.5m by the government to help fight outbreaks in June, although critics said that amount of money was not sufficient.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Care homes in Wakefield 'waiting three weeks' for Covid testing kits