Waverley Borough Council has welcomed the Government's decision that it will be the only borough in Surrey to remain in Tier 2, but has reminded residents that there is no room for complacency as infection levels continue to rise in the area.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier today (Thursday), that all other Surrey boroughs would be moving up into Tier 3 restrictions from Saturday.

In a statement, the authority said: "Although this will be viewed as positive news, because it means that there will be no new restrictions for residents and businesses (other than those already in place), the council's executive is urging residents to remain vigilant."

Waverley Leader John Ward said: "Firstly, I want to say 'well done' to our residents and businesses for the way they've risen to the challenge and have helped to keep infection rates here lower than our surrounding areas. I know it hasn't always been easy.

"We requested that the tier assigned to Waverley should be based on the latest available data rather than our geography, and it appears the Government may have taken this request on board.

"But the fact remains that infection rates have still risen over the last week and we are not out of the woods yet, by any means. It is extremely important we all continue to follow Government guidelines in order to avoid moving up to Tier 3 at a future date. We can't relax. Remember: Hands. Face. Space.

"I hope all our residents get to share some happy times with their loved ones over the Christmas break, but please bear in mind that we all need to act responsibly to help keep each other safe and to stop the spread of the virus."