The Whole of Nottinghamshire to Go Into Tier 3 in Last Minute Re-jig

People walk through Nottingham City centre ahead of Tier Three restrictions set to take effect in Nottingham on Oct. 28, 2020. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Amid rising cases across the region, Nottingham City and all of Nottinghamshire is to enter Tier 3 restrictions to slow the spread of the CCP virus at midnight on Friday in a last-minute re-jigging of the initial plan.

The original plan was that from Thursday only the city and the boroughs of Rushcliffe, Gedling, and Broxtowe would be moved up into the highest alert category of the government’s 3 Tier measures in England.

Now, it has been reported, those areas will remain as they are until Newark and Sherwood, Mansfield, Ashfield, and Bassetlaw are also to be moved up.

The decision to step up local restrictions to Tier 3 across the entire county from midnight on Oct. 30 comes amid steeply rising cases (pdf) across the county and following the conclusion of talks between local councils and the government.

Councillor Jason Zadrozny of the Ashfield Independents and leader of Ashfield District Council told Nottinghamshire Live that the whole county would be affected from “one minute past midnight on Friday morning, and this will last for 28 days.”

‘Wasn’t Really a Consultation’

Following his participation in a meeting with the government on Wednesday morning he told the media outlet that “It wasn’t really a consultation or asking what we are okay with, it was them telling us that we are doing it.”

He said that the idea of implementing the measures on Thursday was “frankly a joke” and agreement to delay tougher measures until Friday was a “concession” on the part of the government.

Otherwise, he said, “it would have meant giving a load of businesses 12 hours’ notice to close.”

He also said health leaders were raising concerns in the meeting that if they “don’t get a grip on the curve” there won’t be enough hospital capacity for the NHS to cope.

Also speaking to Nottinghamshire Live Lee Anderson, Conservative MP for Ashfield said he was disappointed that his borough was going into tougher measures but the virus figures that have risen sharply over the last fortnight “don’t lie” and were “well above the National average.”

He added that local health officials had told him that they believed the whole county should move into Tier 3.

Concerned about the impact on businesses East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, which covers Nottinghamshire, on Monday had commented on the earlier plans to introduce tougher measures in parts of the county.

‘Clear Communication’

It called for clear communication from both national and local government for businesses.

“We urge the Government and those local authorities impacted to ensure they provide clear communication to businesses between now and Thursday about what they need to do, as well as highlighting the support available to them and how it can be accessed,” Chief Executive Scott Knowles said in a statement.

“While we understand the public health reasons for this decision, it will have a significantly detrimental impact on people’s lives in the areas affected,” he added.

He said it was “vitally important” that businesses knew from the government what the “exit strategy” would be.

“Businesses and communities must be aware of which tests must be passed, and when, in order for the area to come out of tier three lockdown, “he said.

“This situation can’t be allowed to continue for any longer than is absolutely necessary,” he added.

Despite reports of the toughening county wide measures being due to start on Friday, at the time of writing Nottinghamshire County Councils website still indicated that restrictions would only affect Nottingham City, Broxtowe, Gedling, and Rushcliffe from “one minute past midnight on Thursday.”

Nottinghamshire will join Warrington as well as the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and South Yorkshire in the highest tier.