New restrictions for local residents in place from today

New regulations announced last night (Thursday 30 July) mean that residents of a number of specified areas including Greater Manchester and neighbouring Rossendale and Calderdale are facing new lockdown restrictions.

From today (Friday 31 July), people in Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale (including Milnrow and Littleborough) and Whitworth will not be permitted to mix with other households (apart from those in their support bubbles) in private homes or gardens, pubs, cafes, restaurants and other leisure or entertainment settings.

The regulations will give local authorities and police forces the powers to enforce these restrictions.

In order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, residents of should not:

• meet people you do not live with inside a private home or garden, except where you have formed a support bubble (or for other limited exemptions to be specified in law).
• visit someone else’s home or garden even if they live outside of the affected areas.
• socialise with people you do not live with in other indoor public venues - such as pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues, or visitor attractions. You may attend these venues with people you live with (or are in a support bubble with), but should avoid interaction with others.

The government will pass new laws to enforce the changes to meeting people in private homes and gardens which means that the police will be able to take action against those that break these rules. If people breaking these rules do not disperse when asked to, police will be able to issue fixed penalty notices (starting at £100 – halving to £50 if paid in the first 14 days – and doubling for subsequent offences).

Support Bubbles

Your household is only the people you live with. If you have formed a support bubble these can be treated as if they are members of your household.

In England, if you live by yourself or are a single parent with dependant children aged under 18 - in other words, if there is only one adult in your home - you have been able to expand your close support network so that it includes one other household of any size. This is called making a ‘support bubble’ and means you are able to have close contact with them as you could if they were members of your own household. You should not change or add to your support bubble once formed.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/135757/new-lockdown-restrictions-your-questions-answered

 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said last night: “We’re constantly looking at the latest data on the spread of coronavirus, and unfortunately we’ve seen an increasing rate of transmission in parts of Northern England.

“We’ve been working with local leaders across the region, and today I chaired a meeting of the Local Action Gold Committee. Based on the data, we decided that in Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and East Lancashire we need to take immediate action to keep people safe.

“We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of coronavirus across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe.”

For those preparing to celebrate Eid Al Adha with friends and family these restrictions will mean disappointment for families but everyone is being urged to follow the new rules and to protect the ones they love from catching coronavirus.

Mosques can remain open but with restricted capacity and worshippers must adhere to social distancing guidance.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/135736/mosques-working-hard-to-stay-safe-this-eid-uladha

 

The full list of areas that these restrictions apply to are:

Greater Manchester:

• Bolton
• Bury
• City of Manchester
• Oldham
• Rochdale
• Salford
• Stockport
• Tameside
• Trafford
• Wigan

Lancashire:

• Blackburn with Darwen
• Burnley
• Hyndburn
• Pendle
• Rossendale

West Yorkshire:

• Bradford
• Calderdale
• Kirklees