COVID marshals are to patrol Bury until spring next year after the council received £104,000 to fund them.

Details of the scheme show that eight officers per day will be used in the borough in December, with that being reduced to four per day from January to the end of March.

Just under £104,000 has been awarded to Bury from the government through grant funding to for marshals to support local authorities on public guidance in the current Covid pandemic.

Eligible activities for the money include additional staffing costs, training, overtime and admin costs and information and educational campaigns.

Around £1,600 of the money will spent on face masks to be handed out to people by marshals.

Details published by Bury Council break down how the rest of the cash is planned to be spent.

There will be a two officer team deployed in the daytime until March costing £31,280 with another two-person team operating in the evenings costing £24,480.

Additional two officer teams in the day time and night time will operate in December costing £11,600.

The report states that it is estimated that overtime until March will cost £9,000 and administration expenses will be £5,000.

Another £10,000 will be spent on body cameras for officers and £2,400 on PPE and mobile phones.

Of the remainder of the cash vehicle hire and fuel are estimated to cost £2,900 and £5,000 has been allocated for promotion and information.

The ‘Covid marshals’ report, written by Angela Lomax, head of public protection at Bury Council, she stated that government guidance said it was anticipated that any marshals ‘will be paid staff’ with the use of volunteers restricted.

The report, added: “The role of Covid-19 secure marshals is not to enforce regulations, or have any enforcement powers, which should remain the remit of the police and designated local authority compliance and enforcement officers.

“Covid-19 secure marshals or equivalents should instead engage, explain and encourage best practice and government guidance.

“The guidance also states that local authorities should seek to engage with local businesses to understand how marshals or equivalents could best support them.

“Businesses and venues will need to follow relevant legislation and guidance on managing the risks from Covid-19, and some may employ staff to ensure guidelines are followed on premises.

“Marshals should work with businesses, in the first instance, to agree an approach to engaging with the public on their premises.

“For Bury, this will mean engaging with Millgate and The Rock, as well as the market and the town centre recovery boards.”