Fife is holding back the tiers

COVID: Plea to keep kingdom in Tier 2 for sake of businesses

A plea has been made to keep Fife subject to Tier 2 restrictions, at worst, as local authorities across Scotland prepare to learn their fate today.

The Scottish Government has been urged to resist any temptation to move the kingdom into a higher tier when the new five-level Covid-19 system comes into force, despite suggestions neighbouring Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Edinburgh face more stringent measures.

Fife Chamber of Commerce chief executive Alan Mitchell said: “Because Fife is between two regions with a higher incidence of Covid, there is obviously a risk that people coming into Fife or travelling through Fife from those areas could increase rates here.

“But that won’t happen if people from those areas comply with the regulations and if Fife businesses continue to prioritise safety as they have done all along.”

However, Jeff Ellis, secretary of Fife Licensed Trade Association, said even continuing Tier 2 restrictions could be a “final nail” for many businesses.

NHS Tayside is lobbying to put Perth and Kinross into Tier 3 restrictions, The Courier can reveal.

Health chiefs believe the virus will be more manageable if the local authority area is given the same restrictions expected to be imposed on Dundee City Council next week.

This is despite a huge disparity between the two areas, with 212 cases per 100,000 population in Dundee in the last seven days, compared to 73 in Perth and Kinross.

Perth and Kinross Council leader Murray Lyle said he will challenge NHS Tayside’s proposal during ongoing negotiations.

A final decision is expected to be made by the Scottish Government this week, with restrictions due to come into force on Monday.

Mr Lyle said: “I don’t want to start a war, but I am very angry about the prospect of us going into Tier 3.

“I don’ t see why we should be lumped into the same tier, given some of our communities live about 60 miles away from Dundee.

“I just don’t think this is appropriate. Perth and Kinross has one of the lowest incidences of coronavirus in the country. Any outbreaks that we have are small and we are handling them comfortably.”

Mr Lyle has suggested an alternative plan which would consider restrictions in towns and villages, such as Invergowrie, on the Dundee border.

He has also highlighted the successful work carried out in Perth and Kinross to contain a major outbreak at the 2 Sisters chicken factory in Coupar Angus, which was hailed as “astonishing” by national clinical director Jason Leitch.

“Going into Tier 3 would mean some very draconian restrictions and it would have a huge impact on Perth,” said Mr Lyle.

“We have a lot of rural communities who could be placed in real financial hardship.

“I will be fighting this with every tool in my box – to be perfectly honest, I am completely livid about this and I have made that clear to everyone involved in the negotiations.”

As well as a push from NHS Tayside, The Courier understands the move is being supported by senior politicians at Dundee City Council.

Asked about the situation in Perth and Kinross at her daily briefing , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stressed that no decision had been taken.

She said: “Councillors in Perth and Kinross may feel aggrieved about NHS Tayside thinking a particular thing, but Perth and Kinross residents depend on NHS Tayside hospitals and intensive care units , so they cannot be divorced from that wider health ecosystem, nor can they simply be plucked out of Tayside.

“If we have a situation – which we may well get to, if not next week then in the near future, I’m certainly not ruling that out – then these things will all have to be weighed.

“For example, if Perth and Kinross has more pubs open and people from other parts of Tayside come there, then that could exacerbate the situation, and it would be the same hospital beds and ICU beds that would be needed to treat people.

“The alternative is a one sizefits- all across the country and that’s not appropriate either.”

Crieff Hydro boss and Perthshire Chamber of Commerce president Stephen Leckie said: “While we understandably worry about all businesses, including our neighbours in Dundee as well as Perth and Kinross, a blanket approach across two areas with differing statistics would be wholly unfair.

“We have been in discussion with Perth and Kin ross Council. Environmental health officers have visited more than 600 businesses and premises in Perth and Kinross and have been very happy with the level of compliance.

“We are seeing evidence that our businesses and

individuals are demonstrating a high level of comp l iance , and requested that Perth and Kinross is tiered on supporting Perth and Kinross statistics to avoid a lack of credibility regarding the decision-making process around the tiering system.”

Tory MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife Murdo Fraser described the health board’s plan as “ridiculous” and said it could lead to “real financial hardship for hundreds of businesses in the region, including the hospitality sector”.

He added: “Tier 3 means restaurants and pubs can open, but not sell alcohol and they will have to close by 6pm. It will put great pressure on businesses already deciding whether to stay open and could lead to them having to lose staff.

“If this does happen, it will lead to a lot of anger throughout Perth and Kinross.

“The Scottish Government has said that Covid cases are rising in Dundee, but I understand that is not the case in Perth and Kinross.

“This would be a very harsh move.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Decisions on what level local authorities will be in will be based on the most up-to date information on prevalence of the virus.

“No decisions have been taken on what level local authorities will be in and any speculation is premature.”

An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said: “NHS Tayside’s public health team, alongside colleagues from Public Health Scotland, continue to monitor closely infection rates of Covid-19 in the Tayside area.

“The number of new cases in the Perth and Kinross area has been increasing in the past couple of weeks and th is is cause for concern.

“Public Health is working closely with partner agencies to determine the most appropriate action to support population health at this very challenging time.”

It was clear a one-size-fits-all policy would not work for Scotland in the battle against Covid-19, but our centralised systems do not allow for as much flexibility as we would like.

Business owners situated miles from the boundaries of Dundee – in Laurencekirk, Pitlochry and Kinross, among others – point out they are far away from the epicentre and should not be considered in the same level.

Concerns are understandable. Coronavirus cases per 100,000 people stand at 210 in Dundee and just 57 in Angus. Fife, Perth and Kinross are higher, but still somewhat off the Tier 3 trigger – so why should they be impacted by something miles away?

Yet, if the virus crescendos to a second wave and coincides with “more traditional” winter pressures – not to mention the backlog in other serious illnesses caused by the lockdown in March – then Tayside’s centralised health model will become very strained indeed.

The number of people who live in neighbouring council areas but commute to Dundee daily must also be taken into consideration.

Many of those who become ill in towns miles from Dundee are taken to Ninewells for treatment. We may have our own local authority identities, but the way the majority of our health care is delivered is on a larger scale.

The middle of a worldwide pandemic would be an inappropriate time to try to change that.

Councillor Murray Lyle is fighting against the proposal. Picture by Steve MacDougall.