Council challenges government over "unwarranted" Tier 3 and restrictions lifted "at the first review"
Posted on 1 December 2020
South Holland District Council Leader Gary Porter has written to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock to express the Council's "deep disappointment" at last Thursday's decision to place the district in Tier 3 as well as assurances that South Holland can exit the highest level of COVID restrictions at the first review in a few weeks' time.
In a letter sent last Friday to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and copied to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and Robert Jenrick MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Councillor Porter said the restrictions in place for South Holland which come into force tomorrow (Wednesday 2 December) is unwarranted based on the Government's own criteria.
"The level of infections currently within the area does not follow your five key tests for determining tier placement and will have a significant, detrimental and long-lasting impact on the health and economic wellbeing of the people of South Holland."
Councillor Porter goes on to say: "As you are aware South Holland's economy is fundamental to the UK food sector and, as such, we have a significant number of food processing factories concentrated within the district. Our Food Safety team have worked exceptionally to ensure that these continue to be operated at a high safety level. To date we have not experienced the major and nationally significant outbreaks in these settings that some of our neighbouring authorities have. Again, this is demonstrating that there is a significant level of control with South Holland that is preventing the transfer of cases from workplace settings to the community."
In the letter, Councillor Porter challenged the government's five step criteria:
- Case detection rate in all age groups; South Holland has the lowest level of cases for all age groups in Lincolnshire at 131.6 per 100,000 and is lower than neighbouring tier two authorities on this measure.
- Case detection rates in the over 60s age group; In the past seven days only 24 people aged over 28 have tested positive for COVID-19, this is figure of 96.3 per 100,000. Again, the lowest in Lincolnshire by some measure.
- Is the rate of infection rising or falling? Since the week commencing 2nd November the district has seen a week on week reduction in the number of positive cases being reported, with prevalence reducing from 212.59 to 144.18 per 100,00.
- The number of positive cases as a percentage of tests carried out; In the last seven days 6.6% of tests conducted for our residents have resulted in a positive result.
- Pressure on the NHS, including current and projected bed occupancy; As you and we are aware hospital provision per head of population is extremely low and that has led to COVID-19 cases causing additional pressure, but this pressure is receding, (current figures for bed usage for COVID patients at United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust is 232) additionally a lot of our population use the hospitals in King's Lynn and Peterborough both situated within tier two.
"As you will see we can clearly evidence using the criteria that has been set out by the UK Government South Holland District does not fit the criteria to be in tier three restriction and in fact it could be argued has low score against the five key measures than compared to some of its neighbouring tier two authorities.
"I look forward to discussing in detail the removal of such unnecessary restrictions before they have an irrevocable impact on the district and residents that I serve. If that is not possible, I would like your reassurance that every assistance will be given to our community to ensure that our businesses are able to survive tier 3 and that we are able to exit tier 3 at the first review in December."