Crewe and Nantwich Labour leaders say they have “deep concern” over the impact of new lockdown measures imposed on Cheshire East.
The borough alongside Cheshire West is being placed into ‘Tier 2’ restrictions from tomorrow (Wednesday Oct 14) as a high risk Covid area.
This means a ban on people mixing with others outside their household in indoor settings including pubs and restaurants.
CEC Leader Cllr Sam Corcoran said today they were “disappointed” not to have been consulted by the Government on the Tier 2 plan for Cheshire East.
It’s also feared the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s employment support programme will only save 230,000 jobs around the UK with many more facing unemployment.
The programme will see the government subsidising wages up to two thirds in circumstances where it is not safe for individuals to go to work.
Connor Naismith, Chair of Crewe and Nantwich Labour Party, said “The government is imposing these restrictions at the same time as it is withdrawing financial support.
“Tier 2 restrictions are the worst of all worlds for local businesses who are not legally required to close their doors but whose customers are no longer there as a result of the restrictions.
“When people can pay two thirds of their rent or mortgage and two thirds towards their groceries, perhaps two thirds of their wages will be enough.”
Laura Smith, Labour councillor for Crewe South, added: “We all want to see people kept safe from the virus and will support steps to do so where necessary.
“However, restrictions cannot come at the expense of perfectly viable sectors and we need to see the evidence that these restrictions are actually containing the virus and we need to see an exit plan for local restrictions too.”
Cllr Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council, said: “It is too early for us to give any further clarity over and above what we heard the Prime Minister say in the House of Commons this afternoon.
“Disappointingly, we were not consulted on new restrictions planned for implementation in Cheshire East from Wednesday of this week.
“This is despite us, with Cheshire West and Warrington councils and the Local Enterprise Partnership, writing in detail to Secretary of State for Health, setting out our asks of government over a week ago, with no reply.
““We developed our asks of Government in order to take action early and effectively, on the basis of a stitch in time saves nine. In the delay we have seen a substantial rise in cases.”
Cllr Craig Browne, deputy leader said: “Cheshire East has been put into the ‘high alert’ level of intervention, also known as ‘tier two’.
“Our ask to the Secretary of State made it clear that, in order to be effective, enhanced measures would require financial support.
“We have received no confirmation that additional funding will be provided, or that the necessary financial support for business will be forthcoming.
“We need to see the detail behind these new interventions before we can give any further clarity or reassurance to residents and businesses in Cheshire East.”
It was exactly the same in Crewe morisons. So many staff either wearing them below their nose or not at all. Stood next to each other chatting away.
I will firstly point out that I work in healthcare and we all have to wear a mask at all times (no exemptions unless occupational health agree, and then reallocate you to work alone) and I am fully aware how uncomfortable and restrictive it is to wear a mask for 10 hours a day.
Morrisons in Nantwich is not helping the situation of rising cases in our area. Although I do not believe that face masks alone are the answer, ‘marginal gains’ means that the more people who comply with safety regulations the better they work. 2 weeks ago I was in Morrisons and although all customers were wearing a mask I counted 4 staff wandering the shop floor without masks (I am not including the staff behind screens). Last week I counted 6, and today I counted 10. While it is amazing that Morrisons clearly have a policy of appointing staff who have severe breathing difficulties or phobias (although they all seem to rush about the store chatting away with no obvious shortness of breath) it does put their customers at risk. Why not reallocate the staff who decline to wear a mask behind the screens, and only allow those wearing masks to mix with customers? I contacted their manager and got a first response saying that they ‘complied with national guidelines’.