LEADERS of Cheshire East Council have applied for extra enforcement powers from the government in its fight against coronavirus.

In a statement, the authority confirmed it wants additional measures to be put in place and has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, although it appears to have stopped short of requesting tighter restrictions for its residents.

Independent CEC deputy leader Cllr Craig Browne said: "We know that the idea of additional restrictions will be a concern for many people. Businesses are struggling. Our social lives have been affected. During lockdown we missed our families and friends, and we worried about the most vulnerable people in our community.

"We will do whatever we can to protect those vulnerable people, support businesses, and protect each other against this virus, but we believe that we need to take extra steps to do that and we need additional powers and resources from the government. 

"We have already written to the Secretary of State for Health to ask for additional powers over establishments that are not complying with the rules and resources to assist with contact tracing.

"We will continue to work with neighbouring councils, MPs and government to ensure that we are in the best possible position to fight Covid-19."

Cheshire East leader, Labour's Sam Corcoran, also added that the area's rising infection rate was "evidence that additional measures will be required to slow the rate of infection".

The borough's infection rate currently stands at 51 cases per 100,000 residents, up from 32 per 100,000 last week.

Cllr Corcoran said: "We are grateful that Cheshire East residents have, overall, been observing these measures well, and this has no doubt been part of the reason we have not seen even higher rates.  However, in the face of rising rates, we must look for other ways to control the virus and reduce the risk.

Cheshire East Council's local outbreak board met yesterday to discuss the current situation and to agree how the council, with its partners, needs to respond.

"We have a number of enforcement powers that we can use, and we will use them to their fullest potential where applicable to deal with the risk of infection," added Cllr Corcoran.

"We will continue to work closely with Cheshire West and Chester Council, as well as our local MPs and the government to explore what additional restrictions will be appropriate for Cheshire East, and more widely for Cheshire as a whole."

The news comes just days after Cheshire West and Chester Council moved to consult with CEC over asking the government for extra restrictions.

CWAC's position was decided at its Covid Outbreak Board meeting, where it was revealed the two councils were aiming to work together to prevent residents from one borough travelling to another, which could raise the county's infection rate.

Currently, CWAC's infection rate stands at 60.9 cases per 100,000 people, which is past its own 'early warning' threshold of 50 per 100,000, which has therefore prompted moves for more controls.

All residents are being asked to: keep to the rule of six; wash hands regularly; wear face coverings in places where social distancing may be difficult; and social distance by two metres.