What Hartlepool's leaders say as North East faces new coronavirus restrictions

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said measures will come into place at midnight on Friday, September 18.

A full announcement of the restrictions is due to be made on Thursday, September 17.

The restrictions will reportedly apply to Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland – which have all seen rises in cases, according to the latest weekly rates.

But Hartlepool is not said to be part of the measures just yet.

Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, Councillor Shane Moore posted on his Facebook account on Wednesday night: “You may have seen in the media that tighter restrictions are due to come into place in the North East this weekend.

“For clarification Hartlepool is NOT included within these new restrictions. Not yet.”

But the town’s MP Mike Hill believes it is only a matter of time.

He said: “The fact that the Teesside local authority areas have not been included on the list is of some comfort, but it’s clearly only a matter of time that the same happens to us.

“Hartlepool folk have done so well to maintain a united front against this pandemic and the majority are to be congratulated for sticking to the rules.

"This development is a wake up call to all all of us. It means that we too are more than likely to follow suite.

"Obviously working with the council and local health authorities I am hoping we can prevent the same outcome; but that task is becoming increasingly difficult by the day.”

Communities Secretary Mr Jenrick told ITV’s Peston show: “The number of cases has been rising rapidly in many parts of the country, but in particular in the North East, and so a decision has been made to impose further restrictions there.”

A further 278 cases of coronavirus were confirmed across the North East on Wednesday, September 16, bringing the total number in the region to 18,963.

Hartlepool saw an additional 12 cases in the latest figures released by the Public Health England on Wednesday.

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