SOUTHEND Council’s deputy leader has blasted the Government for failing to introduce regional or town lockdowns sooner to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has suggested restrictions will be introduced in areas with “flare-ups” to tackle regional outbreaks of Covid-19.

Independent councillor Ron Woodley believes towns like Southend have been seriously affected due to Government not coming up with a similar proposal earlier.

He said: “Localised lockdown is what the Government should have done in the first place.

“They have allowed people to come to beauty spots and seaside towns – like Southend. There was no thought put into it.

“Seaside towns, like ours, were thrown to the wolves and what they have done is disgusting.

“In my view, it was a mindless act of vandalism on people’s health.

“By allowing people to travel out of their regions, they have put the community at risk.

“They should have said you can only exercise locally. What they did was totally irresponsible.”

Mr Woodley believes Southend residents would follow guidelines put in place if Southend were to be hit with a local lockdown in the future.

“The people of Southend have realised how dangerous this pandemic is and they have behaved themselves during lockdown,” added Mr Woodley.

“Only time will tell if localised lockdown will be too little, too late.”

While Mr Woodley feels lockdown in local regions should have been put in place sooner, Kerry Smith is unsure whether such a strategy would pay off.

Mr Smith, the deputy leader of Basildon Council, insists more clarity would be needed ahead of implementing any changes to the current lockdown measures.

“I don’t see how you could implement local lockdowns and it could cause tension,” said Mr Smith.

“If a shopkeeper saw someone come into their store and didn’t recognise them, they might question where they are from.

“More information is needed from the government because if Basildon was on lockdown, would Billericay be as well?

“While in lockdown, the economy struggles. We can only slow down the spread of coronavirus.”