Another UK council has defied the Government by refusing to reopen schools on June 1. Leaders in Hartlepool have joined those in Liverpool by rejecting the plans which unions have slammed as putting teachers and children at risk.
Union chiefs have accused ministers of going too fast and want more local control over the return of schoolchildren. In a statement, Hartlepool Council said: "Given that coronavirus cases locally continue to rise, Hartlepool Council has been working with schools and we have agreed they will not reopen on Monday 1 June. "Whilst we recognise the importance of schools reopening, we want to be absolutely clear that we will be taking a measured and cautious approach to this. "We continue to work with schools to put in