Local councils in the UK are creating contracts for Covid marshals that have an extension option into 2023.
The Telegraph reports that the on-street officers who ensure public compliance with the government’s Covid-19 regulations could see new contracts extended well beyond June 21 this year when remaining restrictions are supposed to be lifted.
“A new army of Covid Marshals is being recruited for roles that could last until 2023 despite Government plans to lift all remaining restrictions on June 21,” The Telegraph reports.
“Councils around the country are advertising jobs that do not begin until July – several days after the supposed freedom day.”
Hertfordshire County Council is among other councils who are planning to employ new Covid marshals from July 1, with the southern county “offering a contract of up to £3 million to firms that can supply 60 marshals from July 1 until January 31 next year.”
“The contract comes with a possible one-year extension, meaning marshals would still be patrolling until 2023,” states the report.
Director of public health for Hertfordshire County Council Jim McManus said the virus will be circulating “for some time” and that they must plan for a “third wave”.
“We know that the virus is still circulating and will be for some time. We know from last year that numbers of infections can change rapidly, and Government are very clear that we should plan in case a third wave arises. It would be a dereliction of duty not to prepare for a third wave,” McManus insisted.
Mark Harper MP, who is the Tory chairman of the Covid Recovery Group, called the contracts a “waste of money”.
“To start hiring people based on the situation we faced last year, before we had rolled out the vaccines, does seem to be a waste of public money,” Harper said.
Covid marshals have been enforcing the government’s lockdown regulations on streets around the UK since autumn last year.