Sheffield Council is giving mixed messages about when children should return to school - with public health chief at odds with cabinet leader for schools

The council's Director of Public Health Greg Fell is seemingly at odds with Cabinet member Coun Abtisam Mohamed - while five of the city's MPs are agreeing with Mr Fell.

It began yesterday when Mr Fell gave a national radio interview and said: "I think we need to have the test and trace system working before we start to fundamentally re-open society.

"Because to not do so gives the virus unchecked opportunities to spread and that will lead us back to a place where we have been before and nobody wants to go back there."

When the council was asked about Mr Fell's comments, it didn't give a direct response but instead issued a statement saying it was helping schools prepare to take more children.

Coun Mohamed said: "Providing the five tests are met, we will continue to work with schools to increase the number of children who are attending from June 1.

"Based on risk assessments, schools will be supported to welcome children back as soon as is safe should their parents wish to do so.

"We will never be able to guarantee that there is no risk. But by working with parents, teachers and trade unions we believe that we can do this in as safe a way as possible that minimises the risk whilst ensuring that children begin to benefit once more from education."

But just an hour later, MPs Clive Betts, Olivia Blake, Louise Haigh, Paul Blomfield and Gill Furniss released a statement backing Mr Fell.

They said: "Trade unions are right to raise the alarm over the Government’s proposal for primary schools to fully reopen on June 1. Until the full scientific guidance is published, it will be impossible for the public to have confidence in this plan.

"There are too many unanswered questions about how the full reopening would work in practice, especially given the conflicting evidence over whether children are just as likely as adults to catch and transmit coronavirus."

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