Shropshire students 'reported to police' over alleged lockdown breaches, councillor says
Students have been reported to the police for allegedly breaching coronavirus rules by meeting up with other households, a councillor for the area has said.
Eric Carter, who represents Newport South and East, said his ward contains housing for Harper Adams University students, many of whom were “tending to ignore” social distancing rules.
A spokesperson for the university, which is based about two miles west of the town, said it was in regular contact with the police over Covid-19 compliance and received a “small number of complaints” about household mixing, all of which have been addressed directly.
Councillor Carter told the Telford & Wrekin Communities Scrutiny Committee “students coming back into accommodation are not abiding by the rules and regulations” had been noted as a problem in his ward.
“I’ve asked my residents who have reported them to me to report them to the police, which they have done,” he said.
“It doesn’t seem to be working all that well. They are tending to ignore it.
“I’ve spoken to Harper Adams but, obviously, they’ve not been working from the university as they normally would and I think it’s been one of those difficult times that needs to be looked at for the future.”
Based on Shrewsbury Road, just west of Edgmond, Harper Adams University specialises in agricultural and rural degree courses.
The university spokesman said: “The Student Services office – the appropriate channel for student conduct matters – has received fewer than 10 complaints during the spring term.
“The university has worked closely with local police, including a meeting with Inspector Richard Bailey specifically about Covid-19 compliance matters.”
He added that the university was routinely informed if the police receive a 101 call to a student property, to enable it to take its own disciplinary action.
“The small number of complaints we have received have related to concerns regarding mixing of households; all have been addressed directly with individuals or households, but we also continue to reiterate the rules to students in all of our messaging.”
The spokesman added that there are currently no positive coronavirus cases among the student population, and only a minority of students have been permitted to return to in-person studies prior to Easter.
