Council leaders will continue to press for lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on Halifax

Local restrictions are being lifted from September 2 in other parts of Calderdale following some cross-party working with Calderdale’s two MPs and party group leaders with the Government, said Coun Tim Swift (Lab, Town).

However, today a furious row did break out between Calderdale’s Labour and Conservative groups about the way it has been approached.

Coun Swift said on removal of restrictions: “Last week the Government asked local political leaders to recommend where local restrictions should be applied within Calderdale based on our local coronavirus case data and our knowledge of our communities.

“I would like to thank my colleagues for their constructive contributions which helped shape our recommendations. These are complex and difficult decisions, as they must balance the need to support our local economy and to allow those social freedoms that we all enjoy against the risk of spreading the virus.

“We understand that the decision to keep additional restrictions in place in the Halifax constituency for another week, will cause disappointment and heartache to those who miss their loved ones.

“To them I offer my sympathy and promise that we will continue with all the measures we are taking to further bring down the numbers and make the case for the remaining local restrictions to be lifted as soon as possible,” he said.

Coun Swift said Calderdale’s local contact tracing programme, which launched last week to support the national test and trace programme, will play a vital role in helping us to contain the spread of the virus.

“If successful it will help us to reduce local cases and give us the assurance we need to allow us to ease these greater restrictions.

“And finally I would like to remind those living in the Calder Valley constituency, where local restrictions will now be eased from Wednesday, September 2, that all of the national restrictions still apply.

“The virus is still active in our community and we must all continue to wash our hands regularly, keep two metres apart and avoid contact with other people as much as possible,” he said.