NEWCASTLE’S council leader has slammed Matt Hancock’s move to impose tougher lockdown measures in the North East – with local leaders seemingly left in the dark over the new rules.

The Health Secretary revealed that, from Wednesday, September 30, people across seven council areas will be banned under law from mixing indoors in any setting, including pubs or restaurants.

But the changes have sparked anger among local authority bosses, who say they were unaware an announcement was coming before Mr Hancock stood up in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.

Nick Forbes, Labour leader of Newcastle City Council, said local authorities have now “demanded clarity” and complained that such a sudden announcement, which was lacking in crucial details, “does nothing for public confidence”.

Since September 18, almost two million people in Newcastle, Northumberland, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, and County Durham have been banned from socialising with other people outside of their own households or support bubbles in private homes and gardens.

But that ban is now being extended to all indoor settings, with anyone who breaks the rules facing a fine.

Mr Hancock initially said that there would be “legal restrictions on indoor mixing between households in any setting”, but provided no further detail and did not say when the stricter rules would be imposed from.

The Department of Health and Social Care clarified in a later press release that the measures would come into force from Wednesday and that visits to other households for informal childcare, such as grandparents looking after children, will still be permitted.

Schools and workplaces will also be exempt from the ban on households mixing.

Coun Forbes said: “While we have been in discussions with the Government on potential further restrictions the Secretary of State has once again stood up and announced changes without telling us he was about to do so.

“We want to work constructively with the government but the way these measures are being communicated in headlines and without detail does nothing for public confidence.

“We have demanded clarity on the new restrictions, testing and support for those businesses most affected.”

Coronavirus infection rates have continued to rise rapidly across the area in the past week – with Newcastle, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Gateshead, Northumberland, and North Tyneside all in the top 30 English council areas with the highest rate of infection.

The government also said it was in the process of agreeing a funding package with local councils to “support the measures and tackle the rising infection rate”.

Amanda Healy, director of Public Health at Durham County Council, said: “We have been in discussions with the Government about the situation in the North East and to ask for additional support. We will need to see the regulations to determine exactly what the new restrictions are and await details of the further financial support they are offering.”

Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues also remain limited to table service only and have a 10pm curfew.

Mr Hancock told the House of Commons: “Unfortunately the number of cases continues to rise sharply. The incident rate across the area is now over 100 cases per 100,000.

“We know that a large number of these infections are taking place in indoor settings outside the home. And so, at the request of the local councils with whom we have been working closely, we will introduce legal restrictions on indoor mixing between households in any setting.”

He added: “We do not take these steps lightly, but we must take them and take them now because we know that swift action is more likely to bring the virus under control.

“And the quicker we can get this virus under control the quicker we can restore the freedoms we all enjoy in the North East and across the country.”