Curbson way as region tops virus case list

Government and councils in talks over areas facing tougher Covid restrictions

AREAS OF Yorkshire look to be facing ever more stringent coronavirus restrictions as it was revealed the region had the highest prevalence of the disease in England.

The Government said officials had been locked in negotiations since earlier this month over moving to the highest alert level of very high, or Tier 3, where mixing of households is banned both in and outdoors and pubs must close.

But Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe yesterday said there were still many unanswered questions in the discussions, and rejected the claim that talks had been ongoing for a number of weeks.

Coun Hinchcliffe said the Government was “unflinching in their resolve to put Bradford and West Yorkshire into Tier 3” as she said leaders had only been invited to talks this week.

However ministers in the House of Commons and the Prime Minister’s official spokesman have both insisted discussions have been ongoing with West Yorkshire for a number of weeks.

It comes as councillors in North Yorkshire were warned their Tier 1 status – where people only have to observe the rule of six – was “hanging by a thread”.

Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council’s corporate director for Health and Adult Services, told a meeting of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum yesterday that the situation was on a “knife- edge”.

Mr Webb said it would be better for the region to remain in Tier 1 but there were worrying trends in parts of North Yorkshire.

“We are hoping we can continue to be Tier 1 but we just don’t know,” he said. “We may be in a situation by the end of the week where part or the whole of the county moves into Tier 2.”

But leader of Ryedale Council Keane Duncan said taking a whole- county approach would be “reckless” and said: “For many Ryedale businesses fighting for their survival, extra restrictions would be the final nail in the coffin.”

A similar plea has been made by the Kirklees Council’s Outbreak Control Board, including Labour MPs Tracy Brabin and Barry Sheerman and Conservative MPs Jason McCartney and Mark Eastwood, as well as crossparty councillors, who said Tier 3 rules would have a “devastating effect” on the economy and mental health.

It comes as experts in one of the country’s largest studies into Covid- 19 found Yorkshire and the Humber had the highest prevalence of coronavirus in England.

Coun Hinchcliffe said she still needed to know what the exit strategy was from the restrictions before they were introduced – something more than 50 Tory MPs also called for this week, as well as the Kirklees representatives. The Bradford leader said she was also seeking guarantees on whether the restrictions would work, and contingency plans if they did not.

She said: “Our hospitals are getting full and the number of vulnerable people contracting the virus is very high. We know that deaths will follow.”

Some 38 further deaths were recorded in Yorkshire yesterday in people who had previously tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the region’s total to at least 3,318. Nationally, 310 further deaths were reported, bringing the total to 45,675.

Coun Hinchcliffe said: “Our local residents and our local businesses need certainty about whether we are going into Tier 3 or not.”

She added: “Crucially, it is still not clear what support the Government will make available to businesses by way of compensation across the region if we go into Tier 3.”

A joint statement released by West Yorkshire leaders last night said discussions would continue today. The Government was approached for comment.

The news came as president Emmanuel Macron announced a second lockdown in France from tomorrow, to combat a strong resurgence of the coronavirus.

Our local residents and our local businesses need certainty. Bradford Council leader Susan Hinchcliffe.