AS new COVID-19 restrictions are set to be reintroduced throughout Bradford next Tuesday, a Shipley councillor has claimed the local lockdown and Government guidelines have been "utterly confusing for people".

Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale are amongst the areas now banned from socialising with other people outside their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens from Tuesday.

And nine wards of the 30 Bradford wards, including Shipley, which had previously exempt from the district-wide lockdown, are now subject to the ban.

"We should be erring on the side of caution," said Coun Vick Jenkins (Lab, Shipley). "This situation has been very hard on families. We need a much more nuanced approach because it's been utterly confusing for people.

"Residents should receive better explanation on what they can do, what they can't do and how this disease is being passed around. It doesn't add up for people.

"Obviously, staying safe is the absolute priority. But we have to keep being reminded that it's not about us as individuals, it's about the collective responsibility of protecting the most vulnerable people in the community."