this is bbc news i'm ben brown. the headlines: leicester fa ces more time in lockdown. it could be the uk's first city to have restrictions extended for an extra two weeks. you have to remain vigilant and continue to do the basics, washing oui’ continue to do the basics, washing our hands and all that, plus we need to have local lockdowns and strategies where necessary. meanwhile — further easing of restrictions across the rest of the uk as schools in wales reopen. no plans at the moment — to quarantine people who travel to scotland from other parts of the uk according to first minister nicola sturgeon. to first né’mi‘r nicola from eon uk middle of- the

to first né’mi‘r nicola from eon uk middle of- th to a socially—distanced chorus line — how choirs are still trying to find harmony. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. leicester could become the first part of the uk to have an extended lockdown, after a reported surge of cases in the past fortnight. the prime minister says he's concerned about the situation there — and the current restrictions could remain in place in leicester for an extra two weeks. easing of lockdown in england, including the opening of pubs and restaurants starts this saturday. to help get britain

back on its feet — borisjohnson is announcing a major school renovation plan for england worth a billion pounds over the next decade. that news comes as pupils in wales from all age groups start to return to school today. in scotland further easing of lockdown is underway as more shops and outdoor attractions open up. and this afternoon, the department of health says a further 25 people have died from the virus. bringing the total number of deaths in the uk to 43,575. more on all of that in a moment but first to leicester, and our health correspondent richard galpin reports. the coronavirus outbreak comes as a shock for people living here in this city who have been looking forward to the next round of lockdown restrictions being the later this week. instead, hundreds of new cases of the disease of the past ten base could result in a significant setback. sam is a pub owner here, his is one of the sectors of the

economy due to be released from the lockdown on saturday. it's been three months now since because nowadays and we really need to get those doors open now and start driving some money to our basement because ultimately with that government's intention to reduce the support on furlough, and the time is ticking and we need to be in a position where we can safely reopen but also bring our people back to work. many other businesses including restaurants, cafes, and hotels and air bmps could be affected by the outbreak. the authority here claimed that government has been slow to help deal with this crisis, with vital information in the early hours this morning. confirming a return to lockdown is not required but current restrictions will continue beyond july four. restrictions will continue beyond july four. we are concerned about lester, we a re july four. we are concerned about lester, we are concerned about any local outbreak and i want to stress the people that we are not out of

the people that we are not out of the woods yet. it's very important, we are making these cautious, calibrated steps. officials are claiming a number of cases is higher than originally thought, although this is not confirmed. and there are specific concerns about those most vulnerable. lester has a large population which is vulnerable or because of poverty or the cause of diabetes which is widespread in lester. we know that patients like that to get more infection and bake at severe infection and they have complications. a key is bringing this outbreak under control as quickly as possible. how long it will take is not clear. and what's happening here is not likely to be a one—off, other coronavirus outbreaks are expected in the coming weeks and months the country. our health correspondent

in the east midlands — rob sissons — has been speaking to the mayor of leicester, sir peter soulsby: positive results are increasing but thatis positive results are increasing but that is because there is more testing taking place. what the government has yet completely failed to explain to us as widely believed something different is happening in lester from what is happening something different is happening in lesterfrom what is happening in something different is happening in lester from what is happening in the rest of england. who do you think should have the power to make this decision? lester city council, the mayor, you, why the government?” think if it were to be necessary, we would take it together but they have not proved it is necessary and not have they demonstrated why extending the present restrictions for another two weeks would make a bit of difference to anything. it is the case that the virus is spreading with the existing regulations well, how can extending then make a difference? current extended

restrictions needed to save lives? if it was about saving lives, of course, i would if it was about saving lives, of course, iwould be if it was about saving lives, of course, i would be the first to say we must do that here in the city of leicester. but they have not demonstrated that it is necessary if they can lift the restrictions in they can lift the restrictions in the rest of england, there is nothing to suggest that they can lift in lester as well. there have been days of confusion, shouldn't there be clearer communication and more decision—making from you? there be clearer communication and more decision-making from you? that should be more information to us so that together we can take a decision about the future. we have been asking for weeks about the level of results from that testing, we managed to get their first dump of that en last thursday and we are working through that as quickly as he can but what we had in addition to that is a report from them that purports to suggest there is something special happening in lester, there is no evidence of that. the prime minister has promised to spend a billion pounds over the next decade — rebuilding dozens of schools across england. an extra half a billion pounds has

also been set aside for repairs. but unions say the money is a small fraction of what is needed. in another development today — the government has said that parents in england could be fined if they do not send their children back to school in september over fears about coronavirus. dan johnson reports. how do you inspire kids in drafty classrooms that are leaking, peeling, rundown, even falling down? outdated buildings and crumbling corridors, many still holding asbestos will also get more cramped asbestos will also get more cramped as the number of secondary age pupils goes up in future. so £1 billion will be spent across england over a decade, billion will be spent across england overa decade, repairing, refurbishing, upgrading our schools. this is part of a ten year programme 110w this is part of a ten year programme now that we are launching and this initial chunk by the 50 schools is just the beginning and we are

acutely conscious of their need to refurbish and repair and receipt the advantage of putting in long term investment for the country. he knows this money is on the start of dealing with the repair and back out and there are warnings much more needs to follow just to get every school up to a satisfactory standard. all we from that national audit office three years ago as a {6.7 audit office three years ago as a £6.7 billion less needed than to restore the school and college state and this £1 billion is welcome but clearly there is a lot to do to make amends for the last ten years of under investment in education. two yea rs under investment in education. two years ago, we were showing this school's leaky roof. in total there are around 300 of these around the school building. and although there is money for urgent repair is needed now, this is a long—term investment for long—standing problems. it does not solve the questions of how to get every child back to school in

september if social distancing is still in place. any money that goes into building schools where it's needed and any money that goes into repairs is a good thing. there is no party politics in this. but the prime minister needs to be just as clear about what his plan is for getting children back into school in september because what have been lacking for the last few months is a plan for schools to get children back into school as quickly as possible. i miss morning on the radio... 50 is a good reason for the advanced cash absents and we have been looking at the fact that we are posting fines on families if they are not ending their children back. confirmation from the education secretary that they return to school will be enforced, the parents, teachers, and pupils are waiting on details on how it will happen and they are unlikely to see this benefit of this money the first 50 projects should be selected by the end of the year. some pupils have returned to schools in wales for the first time in more than three months. the limited return is aimed

at giving children a chance to meet their teachers and friends before the summer holiday. and as tomos morgan reports, the classroom experience will be very different from normal. (vt hello! good morning! after three months away, children and whales are backin months away, children and whales are back in school once again. there are social distancing measures in place but it's not quite how they remember it. it feels exciting but it's also different, i really like the way that teachers learn welcoming guests into the school. in an effort to minimise any potential spread of coronavirus, his primary school have set up outdoor learning, groups segregated off from one another with only certain peaches dealing with certain groups of pupils. and today, is éfifigf certain groups of pupils. and today, |s éfifigf return certain groups of pupils. and today, is éfifigf return to is notjust about the return to education. we are mindfulwe is notjust about the return to education. we are mindful wenfli to