20 South Tyneside businesses hit with enforcement action under covid regulations

South Tyneside Council, like other authorities, has powers to deal with businesses which breach covid regulations and risk the health and lives of residents, as well as adding to potential for further restrictions being imposed on the borough by the Government.

The Gazette has already reported on a number of pubs which have been subject to enforcement action following breaches of regulations.

Councillors were told on October 23 that some 20 actions, ranging from community protection warnings to notices enforcing closure, had been taken against businesses in the borough.

It came during a general update on the work of council officers to the Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee, which also looked at other issues not relating to covid, including trading standards and unsafe buildings.

However, a number of core areas the council is responsible for tackling – such as fly-tipping, food safety and taxi regulation – have been particularly pertinent during the pandemic, and all areas of local Government have seen at least some impact from the covid crisis.

James Maughan, the council’s operations manager for resilience, said: “The last seven months have been peculiar nationally, not just within South Tyneside.”

In giving a report to councillors on the committee, he added: “I thought it was important to show the work of colleagues within the regulatory services department – building control, trading standards, licensing and environmental health – to keep the residents of the borough safe.

“Not just dealing with the council’s response to coronavirus, in which they have been intrinsically involved since the outset, but also the business as usual.”

South Tyneside is still waiting, together with other boroughs and cities in the North East, to learn if it will be placed under Tier 3 covid restrictions – the highest level under the Government’s new three-tier system. It is currently in Tier 2.

Leaders have been summoned for talks, having been previously given a reprieve on entering the tougher restrictions, which would see some businesses forced to close, including pubs which do not serve substantial meals.

There are, however, hopes that the restrictions can be staved off further as weekly rolling rates fall in the borough.

A message from the editor

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Shields Gazette website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.shieldsgazette.com/subscriptions to sign up.

You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here: https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/.

Thank you.