'Think about your grannies and grandads' - Sunderland leader's stay-home plea ahead of sunny weekend

City leaders have praised families in Sunderland for sticking to lockdown rules and doing their part to limit the spread of coronavirus.

But they have also been warned the actions of a ‘small minority’ who break the guidelines risk endangering the health of households across Wearside.

“The people of Sunderland are doing a great job – they get it,” said Coun Graeme Miller, the leader of Sunderland City Council.

“They don’t want to infect anyone else, they don’t want to get COVID-19 themselves and the vast majority of people are doing what we asked them to do.

“A small minority of people are not doing what we asked, so remember it’s not about your own health, it’s about you giving it to your grandad or your granny.”

Coun Miller’s appeal came as Sunderland prepares for temperatures to reach highs of 17 degrees over what is expected to be a sunny weekend (Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26).

But, with businesses across the country partially reopening and roads getting busier, it is feared some may attempt to push the limits of the lockdown restrictions.

The city council has issued guidance urging families to ‘stay at home, don’t travel’.

It followed figures showing increasing traffic on the Wearmouth Bridge and St Mary’s Boulevard over the last two week, after dramatic falls in the number of road users at the beginning of the lock down.

As well as praising Sunderland’s households and families for largely adhering to the rules in recent weeks, Coun Miller also highlighted the efforts of council staff.

Also many services have been reduced or temporarily suspended, other have continued or increased.

The city council has been responsible for processing Wearside’s share of the government’s £12.3 billion Small Business Grants Scheme.

This morning, April 24, the value of 2,947 grants approved by the council amounted to £33.1million.

Coun Miller added: “The small businesses grants team have working over the weekends just to get the job done.

“That is just one example of council staff going the extra mile.”

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