Coronavirus: Liverpool mayor will 'stop schools reopening if necessary'
- Published
Joe Anderson said the council had "a safeguarding responsibility" to children and staff
Liverpool's mayor has "the power to stop" the city's schools reopening in June and will "use it if necessary" unless convinced it is safe to do so.
Responding to the government's plan to restart schooling next month, Joe Anderson said he "imagines" Liverpool's schools will now return in September.
The government is planning a phased return after the lockdown starting with pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
Teaching unions want the government to "step back" from the plan.
As of 13 May, Liverpool has had 1,515 confirmed cases of infection, equivalent to 306 in every 100,000 people according to government data, while as of 1 May 448 people had died with Covid-19.
Mr Anderson said: "We have the power to stop schools reopening and will use it if it is necessary.
"I'll battle anybody to make sure the conditions for that return to school are as safe as they can be and if that means resisting the temptation to open our schools before September then that's what I'll do."
He does not think schools will go back this academic year unless he is convinced the safeguarding of everybody in school can be achieved.
He said: "In Liverpool the curve of this disease is still far higher than other parts of the country and I want to make sure children returning to school are in the safest environment [possible]."
The city council has not clarified if any attempts to stop reopening would cover only local authority schools in the area or would include free schools and academies.
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In neighbouring Knowsley, the council said the "priority is for schools to reopen safely, rather than quickly or on any given day", but any decision was up to schools.
A spokeswoman added the authority would work with them on "planning and preparations".
On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson set out how schools in England could begin to reopen, with the oldest and some of the youngest in primary school going back first.
The Department for Education was approached for a response to Mr Anderson's comments.
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