Statement from @mhclg on COVID secure marshals:
"Local authorities are best placed to determine the model of deployment and responsibilities of marshals in their areas."
Local authorities to me this morning:
"Huh?"
I'm also told that "numbers, recruitment, and remuneration" for these COVID marshals are for local authorities to decide.
And yet local authorities have not been given any information on extra funding for these roles, if any.
Suffice to say without extra money, no marshals.
Latest from No. 10 on COVID marshals:
- No extra money for them
- Up to councils to recruit them and decide what they do
- No powers to issue fines or any enforcement
Sounds awfully like it was a nice line in a speech, & any details are just being outsourced to councils.
@LBC
The COVID marshals farce (cntd)
No. 10 has pointed to councils like Leeds as an example.
Leeds Council Cabinet Member @Jonathan_Pryor tells me:
"The Govt is going to have to pay for this. We're not in a position to be hiring several more people with a remit we're not sure of."
Boris Johnson last night: "We will boost the enforcement capacity of local authorities by introducing COVID-secure marshals..."
Downing Street spokesman today: "They won't have powers to issue fines. It's for the police if there's enforcement action which needs to be taken."
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