A councillor has called for Ceredigion council’s Gold Command to be stripped of its powers after the council confirmed ‘safe zone’ restrictions will continue despite the lifting of the majority of coronavirus rules by the Welsh Government as the country moves to alert level zero.

Safe zone restrictions, which close off streets, effectively pedestrianising areas of the county’s major towns for portions of the day, have been criticised by residents and businesses who can’t access properties.

Rule on the controversial safe zones, as well as thousands of other decisions, were taken without councillor input throughout the last 18 months.

Since March last year, temporary delegated powers have been given to the council’s chief executive Eifion Evans and the Gold Command leadership group allowing them to make “urgent decisions relating to the authority’s response to the pandemic”.

The Gold Command was last handed delegated authority in May, with a fresh review slated to be made on 31 August “or when the Covid-19 alert system indicators reach Tier zero alert level” - as has happened.

Aberystwyth councillor Ceredig Davies has said it is now time to disband the group and put the decision-making back in the hands of elected members but with controversial safe zone measures set to last all summer, Ceredigion council confirmed to the Cambrian News on Monday that Gold Command would continue until at least the end of August without a further review despite the moving to alert level zero.

The move by the Welsh Government meant the vast majority of coronavirus restrictions were lifted, but Ceredigion council said that the highly criticised safe zones would also continue as they have an “important role to play in helping people keep a social distance.”

The council added the restrictions would be “continually reviewed”.

Cllr Davies said he has written to council leader Ellen ap Gwynn on the issue after being told there were no changes planned after Mark Drakeford’s announcement.

In his letter, Cllr Davies called on Cllr ap Gwynn to “rescind the delegated authority” given to the Gold Command at the beginning of the pandemic to make decisions without councillor input.

“Notwithstanding all the hard work undertaken by officers of the authority we are now at a point where democratic accountability for all decisions needs to be returned to councillors,” he said.

A council spokesperson told the Cambrian News: “Gold Command will continue to operate for the time being to make operational Covid-19 related decisions.

“Although Covid-19 incidence rates are reducing slightly, they remain high, particularly in coastal parts of the county.”