“We must do everything we can to ensure Wrexham doesn’t have to return to stricter lockdown measures in any way” says lead councillor

Members of the public are being urged to remain cautious and to “do everything we can to ensure Wrexham doesn’t have to return to stricter lockdown measures in any way.”

The plea from Wrexham Council comes as lockdown measures have meant that some measures, including the re-opening of non essential retail, the return to schools and the likely removal of the five mile travel guidance in Wales, have started being eased.

However with a coronavirus outbreak recently declared at Rowan Foods on the Wrexham Industrial Estate and at 2 Sisters in Anglesey, the local authority yesterday issued a briefing calling on the public to be aware that “Covid-19 is still here in our community and will be for some time.”

Council Leader Mark Pritchard and Chief Executive of Wrexham Council, said: “The situation at Rowan Foods is being carefully managed with our lead partners Public Health Wales, and whether you’re shopping in our town centre or sending your children back to school, you can feel confident and safe in Wrexham if you keep following official guidance.

“But as we start to enjoy more freedom, it’s obvious that – if we’re not careful – the risk of spreading the virus will increase. So now is the time to be even more vigilant, and follow all the safety advice, including regular hand-washing or sanitising, and sticking to social distancing.

“Because if we’re not responsible, we could lose the freedoms we’ve all worked so hard to earn over the past few months.

“We’ll keep you informed about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it safely, and keep reminding you about the measures we should all be taking.

“This includes reaching out to communities who are not Welsh or English first language, as it’s important that everyone can access the same advice and information.

“We all have a part to play, and we want to work with everyone in our communities to bring Wrexham through this.”

Councillor Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, added: “These are very cautious times and we need to remain vigilant. Covid-19 is still with us and we must do everything we can to ensure Wrexham doesn’t have to return to stricter lockdown measures in any way.

“We’ve come a long way since March and overall we should be proud of the way our communities have behaved in order to reach the stage where we can return to a ‘new-normal. Thanks to the effort of our traders and town centre staff we can begin to safely enjoy Wrexham Town Centre once again’’

“Schools have re-opened, shops have re-opened and council services are gradually and cautiously beginning to reopen.

“To continue to enjoy our new freedoms we must continue to observe all the guidance, so we can move forward together safely.”

Yesterday the Financial Times published a ‘league table’ style ranking, with two places in Wales in the top three along with locked down Leicester. Both Wrexham and Merthyr have seen increases in testing.

The new English data is cases-per-100,000 people during the week ending June 21.

Leicester’s new outbreak makes it the clear hotspot in England, though Merthyr Tydfil is currently recording the most new infections in the wider UK due to the outbreak at its meatpacking plant. pic.twitter.com/Boad3slnpM

— John Burn-Murdoch (@jburnmurdoch) July 1, 2020