CHESHIRE East Council leader Sam Corcoran says the borough's infection rates do not justify placing it under tier 3 restrictions.

Cllr Corcoran, responding to a question from Alsager Town councillor Sue Helliwell, stressed he had not asked the government for such a move.

Cllr Corcoran said: "This is an important issue and there are many issues [raised by the letter] that are not addressed in tier 2.

"The decision by the government to impose tier 2 does not address many of the requests, and it does not address the failure of test and trace.

"I do not want to see the government impose tier 3 as our infection rates do not justify tier 3."

The letter referred to was co-penned a "detailed, nine page document" sent to the government asking for £45 million of more support and enforcement powers.

It was drawn up by the leaders of Cheshire East, Warrington, and Cheshire West councils.

Independent deputy leader Cllr Craig Browne added that since CEC had entered tier 2, it had asked for £5m of extra funding to support the education sector, but only received £158,000.

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Similarly, it asked for £23m, to support industries like retail and hospitality, but received nothing from Westminster.