Royal Borough tier decision 'imminent', says council's health boss

The Royal Borough’s lead member for health says he expects a Government decision on the council’s COVID tier classification to be imminent, but warned that a move into Tier 3 would be of ‘profound concern’.

Councillor Stuart Carroll (Con, Boyn Hill), told the Advertiser today (Wednesday) that the borough’s cases are in line with Tier 2 – high alert – but that he is waiting for central Government colleagues to inform the council of its tier after a review. The Royal Borough has been in Tier 2 since the end of the second lockdown.

Tiers for local authority areas across England were scheduled to be reviewed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson today.

But announcements on these are not set to take place until tomorrow (Thursday), the PM confirmed earlier during a speech in which he urged Britons to have a 'merry little Christmas' amid a relaxation of the rules.

Nearby Slough Borough Council has been placed in Tier 3 since the lockdown, while Bucks Council leader Cllr Martin Tett warned his cabinet this week that he was anticipating a potential move into this category after a ‘rapid’ rise in cases there.

Cllr Carroll said: “We are waiting for a Government decision [on tiers] – that should be happening imminently.

“In the Royal Borough, our cases are very much in line with Tier 2 classification, but we will have to wait for further information from Government as to what they’re seeking to do with the whole country.

“It would be of profound concern if we were to move to Tier 3 and that’s not something we would want to see happen at all. We are making our representation, ensuring that all data are robust and correct, but this is something that’s going to be Government-led."

He added: "[We are] co-operating on the data around the number of cases, the R number, the number of hospitalisations and pressures on local services to ensure that the correct information is being analysed and used for decision making.

"We’re continuing with our ongoing advocacy effort to point out the need for additional support for businesses, charities, arts and culture.”