Covid: Tees Valley 'moving towards tier three restrictions'

Talks are to continue next week over whether the Tees Valley will move into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions.

Council leaders for Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar met a government minister earlier for discussions.

They said they were pressing "for the best possible outcome" for the area.

It came after the government told them earlier in the week that tier three conditions would be imposed.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister announced that England would be going into a four-week lockdown from Thursday.

Hartlepool's Labour MP, Mike Hill, said local leaders had been "thrashing out a package... but we are moving towards tier three".

In a statement issued on behalf of the councils, Redcar and Cleveland leader Mary Lanigan said: "Nothing has been agreed and we anticipate further discussions on Monday.

"We will continue to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our residents, supporting businesses and saving jobs as we press for the best possible outcome for the Tees Valley."

On Thursday, the Independent elected mayor of Middlesbrough, Andy Preston, warned that capacity in the NHS to cope with Covid-19 patients was "disappearing fast" and a crisis lay ahead if nothing was done.

Figures for new coronavirus cases for the week to 27 October show a slight drop in the Tees Valley compared to the previous week.

Stockton had the equivalent of 410 cases per 100,000 people, down from 425, while Middlesbrough recorded 328 per 100,000 population from 376 seven days previously.

In Redcar and Cleveland, the figure fell to 264 per 100,000 from 346 in the week to 20 October, and Darlington had 277 per 100,000 people, down from 316.

The seven local authorities north of the Tees Valley remain in tier two.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].