News bulletin: COVID death toll rises in Liverpool, pay rise for city councillors

🦠 A total of 1,654 people have died in Liverpool from COVID according to the latest update to the UK coronavirus daily dashboard.

The figures include anyone who died within 28 days of a positive test result for COVID-19, including four deaths in the past week and one in the latest 24-hour period.

They were among 24,715 deaths recorded across the North West.

Currently, 74% of Liverpool residents aged over 18 have had one vaccine, with 70% having had two doses.

💷 A pay rise for Liverpool councillors has been recommended for approval.

Members of the local authority will sign off on giving themselves a 1.75% pay uplift after its constitutional issues committee agreed to pass on the suggestions made in a report to members. The proposed uplift will be backdated to May 2021 and will increase councillors’ pay packets to £10,775 per year – a rise of £185.

The change in allowances is inline with the agreed National Jount Council (NJC) employee pay award. The total cost of payment to councillors to the annual budget is almost £1.4 million.

🔥 The Commonwealth Games baton relay will take place in Knowsley and Liverpool this summer.

Ahead of the 22nd staging of the international event being held in Birmingham between July and August this year, the baton relay will visit the two boroughs in the Liverpool City Region.