Council wants ‘extra powers’ to halt Covid-19
The rising rate of coronavirus in Cheshire East has prompted council leader Sam Corcoran to controversially urge people to ‘only go out if necessary’ – which goes beyond Government advice. Phil Corrigan reports...
COUNCIL chiefs are calling for ‘additional restrictions’ and extra funding to bring rising Covid infection rates under control.
Leaders at Cheshire East Council, along with their counterparts at Cheshire West and Chester, want the government to grant them new powers to halt the spread of the virus, following spikes in infections.
Cheshire East’s seven-day infection rate has risen from 32 to 51 cases per 100,000 population. Cheshire West and Chester’s rate is 60.9 per 100,000, up from 39.9 a week ago.
While neither area is currently on the government’s coronavirus watchlist, neighbouring Warrington and Halton, which have infection rates in excess of 100 cases per 100,000, are both listed as ‘areas of intervention’, where household mixing is banned.
Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West, wants similar restrictions on movement between households introduced in both her area and Cheshire East.
Cheshire East leader Sam Corcoran has not called for any specific measures, but has urged residents to stay at home unless they need to go out for work, shopping or exercise.
Mr Corcoran says the council is working with Cheshire West, local MPS and the government to look at what restrictions may be needed.
Speaking after a meeting of Cheshire East’s local outbreak board, he said: “We are seeing rising infection rates in Cheshire East and this is an increasing concern. As a council we have responsibilities to protect the health of people who live and work in the borough. This responsibility has to be balanced with the need to support our residents and businesses to more normal ways of working and living life.
“The best way for us all to protect ourselves and each other from the virus is to maintain social distancing of two metres where possible, wash our hands more frequently for 20 seconds with soap and water, avoid touching our faces and wearing a face covering when required.
“We are grateful that Cheshire East residents have, overall, been observing these measures well, and this has no doubt been part of the reason we have not seen even higher rates. However, in the face of rising rates, we must look for other ways to control the virus and reduce the risk.
“Some areas of the country, including neighbouring areas such as Stockport, Merseyside, Warrington and Halton, have seen additional restrictions put in place to slow the spread. We are now seeing evidence that additional measures will be required to slow the rate of infection.
“We have a number of enforcement powers that we can use, and we will use them to their fullest potential where applicable to deal with the risk of infection.”
Mr Corcoran posted a video on social media in which he urged residents ‘to only go out where necessary’, and for those in ‘high risk’ groups to stay at home except for exercise – which goes beyond the current official guidance for residents in Cheshire East.
This provoked a critical response from Crewe and Nantwich’s Conservative MP Kieran Mullan.
Dr Mullan tweeted: “Cheshire East or parts of it may well need to have further restrictions, we should all be taking the rules seriously, but for a council leader to put up a video telling people to go into full lockdown off his own back is not the responsible way to do go about these things.”
Deputy council leader Craig Browne insisted the council would do everything in its power to support vulnerable people.
He added: “We believe that we need to take extra steps to do that and we need additional powers and resources from government.
“We have already written to the Secretary of State for Health to ask for additional powers over establishments that are not complying with the rules and resources to assist with contact tracing. We will continue to work with neighbouring councils, MPS and government to ensure that we are in the best possible position to fight Covid-19.”
The official guidelines in Cheshire East are the same which apply across England: no socialising in groups of more than six, social distancing, regular hand-washing and the wearing of face coverings where necessary.