Coronavirus: Cheshire West and Chester wants tighter restrictions

Ms Gittins said the authority "need to do this for the greater good"

Cheshire West and Chester Council will ask the government to introduce tougher coronavirus restrictions because it would "rather do something sooner than later", its leader has said.

Leader Louise Gittins said she wanted to limit movement between households to try and halt any rise in cases.

The authority agreed with Cheshire East Council to make a joint request at a meeting on Monday.

Cheshire East Council is due to have a private meeting to discuss the issue.

The move follows calls for tougher measures to be imposed in Merseyside council areas which border Cheshire West and the tightening of rules in Cheshire East's neighbours, such as Stockport and Manchester.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's Covid-19 outbreak board, which was streamed online, was told the two authorities should make a joint request to ensure any restrictions were consistent.

Ms Gittins told the cross-party meeting that the authority "need to do this for the greater good, we need to protect the vulnerable".

Government figures from Saturday showed the infection rate in west Cheshire had risen to 61 cases per 100,000 people, up from 40 per 100,000 seven days earlier.

Ms Gittins said the rate had "trebled" since August.

'Full lockdown'

In Cheshire East, council leader Sam Corcoran has been criticised for advising residents to "only go out if really necessary".

In a video posted on his personal Twitter account on Monday, the Labour leader said he believed "additional restrictions will be needed", adding: "If you're in a high risk group... then I suggest that you only go out for exercise".

The advice goes further than his authority's official advice to residents.

The Conservative MP for nearby Crewe and Nantwich, Kieran Mullan, said the council leader "telling people to go into full lockdown off his own back is not the responsible way to do go about these things".

In east Cheshire, there were 51 cases in every 100,000 on Saturday, up from 32 per 100,000 on 19 September.

• YOUR QUESTIONS: We answer your queries

• WEDDINGS: Can I have a reception with guests?

• SOCIAL LIFE: Is it safe to go to the pub?

• GLOBAL SPREAD: How many worldwide cases are there?