Kirklees leader stands by stance on wholesale removal of COVID-19 restrictions

It followed the decision last week by the Government to free up 18 of the borough’s 23 wards but to maintain restrictions in Batley East, Batley West, Dewsbury East, Dewsbury South and Dewsbury West.

Councillor Pandor, who represents Batley West, has for several weeks stuck to the view that as infection rates in Kirklees have dropped, so restrictions should be lifted for the whole district.

And he has not shifted his position.

During a meeting of the council’s decision-making Cabinet (Sept 1) he was asked to comment on the current scenario by Clr David Hall (Liversedge and Gomersal), the leader of the Conservative group.

He said: “I am sure you will have recognised now that people in the majority of the borough are quite relieved that the special Covid measures have been lifted for them, and thanks to all those who worked to bring that about.

“Particularly local businesses are looking forward to opening tomorrow.

“Would you accept though, now, that you were wrong not to press for this approach earlier?”

Coun Pandor rebuffed the question and said he was more committed than ever to his stance.

He said he had sought clarity over why some restrictions had been lifted locally, especially as Health Secretary Matt Hancock was coming under “extreme scrutiny” for his decision.

That decision, he revealed, will be scrutinised at a future Select Committee meeting in Parliament.

He commented: “There are other authorities up and down the country who have higher rates than we have, who are actually not in lockdown.

“I asked for clarity.

“Although I accepted what the Secretary of State did on July 31 [in imposing restrictions on Kirklees] the timing was completely wrong and completely insensitive, coming on the eve of Eid.

“It’s like having that on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve or for that matter any other religious celebration.

“That was completely insensitive.

“I have asked consistently to see the criteria that the Government has used in coming to their decision. I am still not clear.

“I am now asking how the remaining five areas in Kirklees will come out of the restrictions.

“There’s a lot of confusion, there’s a lot of apathy and there’s a lot of issues around confidence in making sure that local people know what the message is from central Government.

“We need to make sure that we’re driven by evidence.”

Speaking after the meeting Coun Hall, who attends the council’s regular Outbreak Control Board meetings, said: “Clearly he is not shifting his position.

“I hope he will be putting his energies into getting the remaining five wards lifted. That means targeting the resources that we have.”

Coun Hall was among leading Tories – including MPs Jason McCartney and Mark Eastwood, who lobbied for restrictions to be targeted at communities that have the highest rates of transmission.

He described Coun Pandor’s refusal to adopt the approach as “frustrating”.