Cookham Discussion Board

Berkshire's neighbouring authorities could all be looking at Tier 2 restrictions as coronavirus cases continue to rise, with one area almost doubling its infection rate in a week.

The latest figures in the week leading to Thursday, October 22, show worrying rises in the areas that border Berkshire, which could well lead to increased restrictions.

The highest figures recorded are for South Bucks, which has an infection rate of 179.9 per 100,000 people.

This is higher than anywhere in Berkshire.

It's neighbour, Slough, has Berkshire's highest rates of 166.5 per 100,000 people and has been placed into Tier 2.

Another area experiencing problems is Swindon, where the rate has rocketed.

The area borders with West Berkshire, and currently has a figure of 103.1 per 100,000 people.

The rate there has risen from 55.8 in the week leading to Thursday, October 15, which is nearly double.

There have been 229 new cases in Swindon.

Other areas also have increasing rates.

For example, Wycombe, bordering with Maidenhead, has seen a rise from 75.6 to 98.5 and Runnymede in Surrey, which borders with Windsor - where the numbers are high but now dropping - has a rate of 114.1, up from 85.

Surrey Heath, which borders with Bracknell Forest, has a rate of 92.9, up from 79.5

The Vale of the White Horse, bordering West Berkshire, has a rate of 94, a sharp rise from 69.8.

South Oxfordshire, bordering Reading, is also approaching 100, with a rate of 90.1 - a rise from 74.6.

All of Berkshire's neighbours remain in Tier 1, despite some having higher numbers.

Infection rates for Berkshire's neighbouring areas South Bucks
Tier: 1

Infection rate in seven days to October 22: 179.9 per 100,000

Number of cases in seven days to October 22: 126

Infection rate in seven days to October 15: 129.9 per 100,000

Number of cases in seven days to October 15: 91

South Bucks, which includes Beaconsfield, Burnham, Taplow and Iver Heath, borders Slough and the Royal Borough of Windsor Maidenhead.

The area, along with Wycombe comes under Buckinghamshire Council.

Councillor Martin Tett, leader of Buckinghamshire Council, said: “This is a very serious situation for Buckinghamshire and for our residents.

“It’s a particularly serious situation in the south of the county, the former district council areas of Wycombe, South Bucks, Chiltern, but the rate is rising now rapidly across the entire geography of Buckinghamshire.

“I would urge all residents watching this and colleagues who are councillors to really make a concerted effort to abide by the rules we have.

"If we do not do so, if we are complacent, if we continue to have too much mixing, particularly with people from outside our households, there is a real danger the rate here will start to reach the sort of levels we are currently seeing in the midlands and even the north of England and the Liverpool area.

We do not want to see the restrictions on people’s personal freedoms those sorts of levels might indicate, and also the impact on our local economy, on people’s jobs, on people’s wellbeing.

“I would stress to everybody watching this: the situation here is deteriorating. It is very important we observe the current rules and we do so fastidiously.

“I have seen too many examples where people are complacent and we really do need to observe those rules.

“Otherwise, we are on a trajectory towards the situation that exists in parts of the Midlands and parts of the North of England and I certainly would rather not see that.

“Following on from the government’s announcement, I think I can confirm fairly comfortably that we are in Tier 1. That’s the medium-risk range.

“We are not in the high or very-high risk range but the danger is if this trend continues, we will nudge up into those top categories.”