A BOURNEMOUTH MP has claimed the Dorset director of public health's opposition to easing coronavirus restrictions prevented the county from moving to Tier 1 measures.

Conor Burns MP, who represents Bournemouth West, said the decision-making on coronavirus had now "effectively been outsourced" to "non-elected people".

Sam Crowe, director of public health for Dorset and BCP Councils, said he understood people may feel “frustrated and disappointed” by the decision to keep the county in the High Alert level.

He also said Tier 1 restrictions would not be enough to bring down Covid-19 rates in Dorset.

However, Mr Burns hit out at the local public health authority and said he was disappointed about the outcome of the Government's review, but added he was “not remotely surprised” at the region not being moved into Tier 1.

Mr Burns told the Daily Echo: “The members of parliament (for Dorset) all believed that the data was pointing our ability to safely land in Tier 1. That was a view that was shared by the two council leaders in Dorset.

“But when the director of public health has set his face against a move down in tier, you are not going to get the Health Secretary to override that, so we have effectively outsourced the decision-making now to non-elected people.”

He added: “I have now got to meet businesses that are teetering on the edge of survival and I have got explain to them that their elected members of parliament and their elected councils had their voices drowned out by public health officials.”

Mr Burns said he was concerned about the future for some in the hospitality sector.

He said: “I still maintain that we need to get a bespoke package of support for the hospitality sector and The very simple reality is that if this goes on much longer there are perfectly viable restaurants, bars and hotels that will not be there to reopen when the economy returns to normal.”

Mr Crowe said the county had seen the reduction in case rates level off and plateau in recent days and our hospital system remains under pressure.

“Tier 1 restrictions would not be enough to continue to bring our rates down, and we would risk having to go back into tougher measures,” said Mr Crowe.

“Most people have been doing a really good job in complying with the measures and I’d urge everyone not to drop their guard, and to keep social contact to a minimum, particularly over the five days of reduced restrictions over Christmas.”

Public Health Dorset said areas will need to show a “sustained fall” before being considered for moving down tiers.

Michael Tomlinson MP, who represents Mid Dorset and North Poole, said: "Sitting in the chamber of the House of Commons as the Health Secretary announced the first review of the tiers, there was a sense of inevitability as we heard that there was little positive movement across the country and no movement in Dorset.

"The numbers in Dorset are still low, and in BCP relatively low, but they have not been declining as they once were. And of course it is not just the headline infection rate that is considered: in addition and importantly the infection rate in older people and pressure on local hospitals are taken into consideration.

"There will be easing for Christmas. There is hope for the future. We all have a personal responsibility to continue to play our part and I know that we can get into the lowest tier. But there is no doubt that the virus is not defeated yet."

Poole MP Sir Robert Syms said: “I think this is the wrong decision. We should be in Tier 1.

“I am glad I voted against the tier system. It’s bad policy compounded by bad judgement by those at the top.”