Kirklees residents 'left in the dark' about why they face new lockdown restrictions

Hundreds of thousands of people in Kirklees are being left in the dark about why they face new lockdown restrictions because the Government is not being open about its decision-making process.
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That’s the opinion of some politicians in the area, who say the latest action is “unjustified”.

Pressure is now growing for Whitehall to be transparent over how decisions are arrived at – and what information is being used.

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Two virtual meetings took place in Kirklees prior to Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealing that the whole borough would re-enter lockdown.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Kirklees are being left in the dark (Getty images)Hundreds of thousands of people in Kirklees are being left in the dark (Getty images)
Hundreds of thousands of people in Kirklees are being left in the dark (Getty images)

Those meetings of the Outbreak Control Board (OCB) involved the borough’s four MPs, the council leader, opposition group leaders and the chief executive.

The result was a repeated request for information on how the Government makes decisions that affect entire populations.

Coun John Lawson, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Kirklees Council, said the group had “repeatedly asked for clarity” on the Government’s decision-making process and how data is used.

He said: “That openness has not been forthcoming so far.

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“Unless the Government’s own ‘Advice for Decision Makers’ is reviewed, and quickly, I can’t see the situation improving.

“There are built-in time lags and disconnects in the information shared, which is the opposite of what’s needed.

“There needs to be a straight-forward rationale that underpins both the decisions and the messages if we are to ask people to sacrifice still more aspects of their lives.

“The public has earned that right.”

He echoed comments made by Council Leader Coun Shabir Pandor, who said the authority was prepared to work hand-in-hand with the Government but that a better understanding was needed of how data is interpreted.

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Coun Lawson added: “Government has a willing partner in Kirklees Council. The staff have made enormous efforts and worked tirelessly over the last few months.

“We need to make sure they, and the many superb volunteers across the borough, have what they need in terms of resources and information so they can tackle what’s ahead.”

Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin joined her Parliamentary colleagues and the OCB in writing to the Government to ask them to “share their reasoning” for the restrictions, so that interventions can be targeted to help lift restrictions sooner.

The council’s letter in full:

“I write on behalf of the Kirklees Council Outbreak Control Board regarding the feedback we have received from Gold on the intention to re-impose restrictions across the whole of the Kirklees area.

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“We recognise that Government is faced with difficult decisions and there is a strong recognition of prevailing circumstances and the need for collective action to be taken.

“However, the Board, which includes Leaders of all the main political groups represented on the council alongside our four local MPs, believes Government should urgently present its rationale for the extra restrictions, especially how they flow from the local, regional and national data.

“This is not simply a question that relates to this week’s decision. An understanding of the parameters used by Government to determine local restrictions will help us target our activity and resources in the medium term.

“The Board, the council and local partners have worked effectively with Government on many aspects of this crisis but we feel that cooperation – and effectiveness of action – would be improved by a more open discussion on the way data is interpreted and the decisions that flow from it.

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“Without such an understanding, we do not believe further restrictions in Kirklees can be justified at this time. This is the unanimous decision of the Board.

“The Board is fully aware of the seriousness of the situation in Kirklees and the wider region. We also appreciate the onus on Government to take action.

“However, we also remain concerned that frequent changes in restrictions could produce diminishing returns in terms of compliance.

“Again, a better understanding of how data is interpreted would help us to engage communities not just on keeping safe but on how we can all work together to regain our freedoms.

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“I hope you will reconsider your decision and look forward to receiving an urgent response.”

For the Greens, Coun Andrew Cooper mocked the Government’s “hokey-cokey method” of taking some areas in and out of lockdown, which he said was not working.

He added: “If we make changes they should be done on a national basis and communicated in a much better fashion than they are now.

“People are already confused with the ever-changing rules and the reasons behind them.

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“There is a real concern that if we keep chopping and changing the rules from one week to the next that people will stop paying attention.

“Even today, the news has been a drip feed of changes rather than a single announcement.”

The leader of the Conservative group on the council, Coun David Hall, expressed disappointment at the latest lockdown.

He said: “Many people have tried so hard to abide by the rules, but the figures are going in the wrong direction.

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“I do hope that this will be a short-lived measure, but I fear that the signs are to the contrary.

“We must now urge everyone to abide by the new rules, to maximise our chances of returning to any normality as quickly as possible.”