Area faces up to risk of local lockdown
A VALLEY MP has highlighted the risks of cross-contamination with Blackburn with Darwen as the borough’s coronavirus infection continues to rise.
Speaking during the House of Commons’ Coronavirus Response session on Monday, led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Haslingden MP Sara Britcliffe said a local lockdown seems “very possible”.
Ms Britcliffe said the situation has left many of her residents “very concerned” over the growing seriousness of the situation.
Addressing Mr Hancock, she said: “As my Right Honourable friend will know, my neighbouring constituency of Blackburn now has the highest infection rate in the country and my constituency of Hyndburn and Haslingden is served by Blackburn Hospital. My constituents are rightly very concerned. As a local lockdown seems very possible, can he assure me that the Department will engage with me and local authorities closely to provide the guidance and advice needed?”
Responding, Mr Hancock said: “I absolutely commit to doing that and to working with MPs in all those areas that are affected across the country.”
More than 90 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Lancashire between July 17 and July 20. Fifty of these were in Blackburn with Darwen, 11 in Hyndburn and four in Rossendale.
Lancashire County Council (LCC) and Rossendale council (RBC) have found out how much they will receive from the latest round of Government funding to help cover the financial cost of the coronavirus crisis.
LCC will get another £8.2m while Rossendale council is in line for a further £132,000. It takes their overall allocations so far throughout to the crisis to £65m and £881,000 respectively.
Several of the county’s leaders have called for full reimbursement of all their Covid-related costs, with some expressing concern the Government might only be prepared to cover extra expenditure incurred as a result of the pandemic.
However, a new scheme is also being introduced under which three-quarters of “relevant losses” will attract compensation from the Government, over and above a five percent threshold which councils will have to absorb themselves.