Kirklees tier 2 restrictions: Region leaders deny talks with Government and say county should remain in tier 2

West Yorkshire remains in Tier 2 today, with local authroty leaders saying “there is not a case to move West Yorkshire to Tier 3 this week.”

Responding to the decision to maintain West Yorkshire’s Tier Two (High Risk) status, the Leaders of West Yorkshire Councils have issued the following statement:

“Government Ministers did not meet Leaders today. Local and national public health experts agree that there is not a case to move West Yorkshire to Tier Three this week. The decision to maintain Tier Two (High Risk) restrictions reflects the progress that has been made by councils, Public Health England, the NHS and other partners working together to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect lives.

“To further reduce the risk of increased restrictions becoming necessary, it remains essential that everyone in West Yorkshire plays their part by following the rules, particularly when it comes to instructions to self-isolate. And we need the Government’s support now for measures including local test and trace, deep engagement with our communities and financial help for those self-isolating.

“Tier Two status will continue to have an impact on our economy, particularly the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors and their associated supply chains which together employ more than 200,000 people. We urge the Government to respond to our proposals to protect businesses, jobs and incomes, and to support our plan for economic recovery including a package for people who have already lost their jobs to develop new skills.”

Greater Manchester was pushed into the measures yesterday, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he expected local leaders to work with Government, raising fears the rules may be imposed on Yorkshire too regardless of pleas for better financial support.

Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor, has said previously that tier three restrictions woiuld hurt families and businesses in the borough.

"With all the economic and social upheaval that will cause, it’s no wonder people and businesses in our area are fed up with the rules chopping and changing all the time. The Government needs to understand the public mood and take what they are saying very seriously," he said.

“Tier Three would hurt Kirklees families and businesses without bringing the health benefits we all want to see. Even the Government’s scientific advisors don’t think those restrictions will work. It’s an approach that’s led by neither the data nor the science. The Government needs to support local communities, local businesses and give councils the power and the resources to help them tackle this pandemic

“We have an opportunity right now to make the current restrictions work. With some extra Government support, our community will pull together to protect the NHS and save lives. We need to focus on our ongoing work out there in communities, supporting vulnerable people and suppressing the virus. Interpreting yet more London rules and regulations is a damaging distraction from that vital work.

“Kirklees has had local restrictions in place since July. Local people have paid a heavy price for that in terms of lost business and separation from family and friends. In that time, we’ve dropped from being in the top four local authorities to now being in the top forty in terms of infection rates. We know our local approach, trusting communities to pull together, will be far more effective than rewriting the rulebook every week.

“If it’s a national problem, the Government should be thinking about a national approach. I’m not convinced at all that Tier Three restrictions is the right answer for Kirklees.”