This week in North West Leicestershire:

Future of East Midlands Freeport Infrastructure and Design Guidance Under Review

The Local Plan Committee met on Monday 29 June 2026 to discuss crucial documents that will shape future development and infrastructure within the district. The committee considered proposals for the East Midlands Freeport (EMF) and the withdrawal of an outdated design guide.

Funding and Delivering Infrastructure for the East Midlands Freeport

A key focus was the East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This document, presented by Chris Elston, Head of Planning and Infrastructure, outlines how the necessary infrastructure to support the development of the three East Midlands Freeport sites will be delivered and funded. The EMF is a major economic development initiative, and this SPD is vital for ensuring that new developments contribute fairly to the infrastructure they require, such as transport links.

The document details the policy context for the EMF sites, including the East Midlands Airport and Gateway Industrial Cluster (EMAGIC) within North West Leicestershire. It proposes a framework for Section 106 agreements[^1] to coordinate the funding and delivery of strategic transport infrastructure. This approach is designed to ensure that development benefits from, and contributes to, the necessary infrastructure, preventing an undue burden on existing residents and services. The SPD aims to ensure that development on the EMF sites, and other sites benefiting from this infrastructure, contribute equitably and proportionately.

The committee was recommended to adopt this Supplementary Planning Document. This decision is important for attracting investment and creating jobs, while also ensuring that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support growth and minimise disruption to local communities.

Streamlining Design Guidance

The committee also considered the Review of the 2017 Good Design Guide for North West Leicestershire SPD. With the adoption of a new Good Design Guide in April 2026, the recommendation was to withdraw the older guide. This aims to provide clarity for developers and residents, ensuring that guidance on the design of new developments, including aspects of green infrastructure, sustainable drainage, biodiversity, and energy efficiency, is up-to-date and consistent.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Local Plan Committee meeting documents.

This week in North West Leicestershire:

Council Cabinet Grapples with Treasury Management and Essential Service Plans

The Cabinet met on Tuesday 23 June 2026, to discuss a range of financial, policy, and service delivery matters that directly impact the council's operations and the services residents rely on. Key topics included the financial stewardship of council funds, essential service plans, and the framework for business continuity.

Prudent Financial Management: Treasury Report Reviewed

Councillor Keith Merrie MBE, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, presented the Treasury Management Stewardship Report for the 2025/26 financial year. This report confirms the council's approach to managing its investments, with a focus on security and liquidity. It was noted that the council had operated without any breaches of its treasury management strategy, indicating a stable financial footing. This is crucial for ensuring the council can continue to fund essential services and respond to unforeseen financial challenges.

Ensuring Service Continuity: Business Continuity and Food Safety Plans

The Cabinet was also set to consider the Corporate Business Continuity Policy, presented by Councillor Nicholas Rushton, Infrastructure Portfolio Holder. This policy establishes a framework to ensure the council can maintain essential services during emergencies or disruptions. For residents, particularly vulnerable groups, this means that critical services like social care, waste collection, and emergency response can continue to operate even in challenging circumstances.

Furthermore, Councillor Michael Wyatt, Community, Environment and Climate Change Portfolio Holder, was scheduled to present the Food Safety Service Delivery Plan for 2026-27. This plan outlines how the council will uphold its statutory duties in ensuring food safety across the district, including inspections and responding to food complaints. This is vital for public health, ensuring that food sold and consumed in North West Leicestershire is safe. The plan also covers operations at the Border Control Post at East Midlands Airport (EMA), which is critical for the import and export of food products.

Supporting Local Development: Freeport Contributions Document

Councillor Tony Saffell, Planning Portfolio Holder, was set to present the East Midlands Freeport Strategic Infrastructure and Contributions Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This document is designed to guide the funding and delivery of transport infrastructure needed for the development of the East Midlands Freeport sites. This is important for attracting investment and creating jobs, but the SPD aims to ensure that the development contributes fairly to the infrastructure it requires, preventing an undue burden on existing residents and services.

Customer Service and Complaints: A Focus on Improvement

Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, was scheduled to present updates on customer service performance and the Annual Corporate Complaints report for 2025/26. The customer service update highlighted stable call volumes and an increase in digital self-service, but also noted challenges such as increased abusive behaviour and mental health issues among customers. The complaints report indicated a decrease in overall complaints, but highlighted ongoing issues in Housing Repairs and Waste Services. These reports are essential for understanding how residents experience council services and for identifying areas where improvements are needed to ensure a positive and effective experience for everyone.

The Cabinet was also asked to approve an updated Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy, which sets out how the council will provide redress for service failures. This is important for ensuring fairness and accountability when services do not meet the expected standards.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Cabinet meeting documents.

Water Management and Recycling Take Centre Stage at Community Scrutiny

The Community Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 25 June 2026, to address critical local issues including water management in the Coalville Strategic Growth Area, the rollout of new recycling containers, and resident involvement in housing services.

Tackling Water Pollution: Recommendations for Coalville

A significant focus was the report and recommendations from the Task and Finish Group on water management in the Coalville Strategic Growth Area. Prompted by resident concerns about sewerage pollution along the River Sence, the group proposed several key actions:

• Improved Planning Input: The Council should urge Severn Trent Water (STW) to provide more robust technical evidence on sewer capacity when responding to planning applications.
• Urgent Mitigation Measures: STW should implement interim measures to reduce pollution impacts by 2030.
• Addressing Ingress and Infiltration: The Council should seek evidence from STW on issues affecting Sustainable Urban Drainage Schemes (SuDS) and consider stricter planning controls.
• Legislative Advocacy: The Council should politically advocate for Schedule 3 of the Floods and Water Management Act 2010 to be enacted, establishing SuDS Approval Bodies.
• Public Awareness Campaign: Work with STW to reinforce public messaging about responsible waste disposal to prevent blockages and pollution.

These recommendations are vital for protecting our local environment and ensuring that new developments do not exacerbate existing water quality issues, which can have a detrimental impact on wildlife and public health.

New Recycling System Rollout

The committee received an update on the new twin-bin recycling system, with phase one of the rollout scheduled to begin in November 2026. This will affect approximately 12,500 households in areas including Coalville, Whitwick, New Swannington, and parts of Hugglescote and Thringstone. The new system will use orange lids for plastics, cans, and glass, and blue lids for paper and cardboard. This initiative aims to simplify recycling for residents and improve the council's environmental performance.

Enhancing Resident Involvement in Housing

The committee also reviewed proposals to increase tenant involvement in the Housing service. Options include tenant scrutiny panels, estate evaluators, and regular feedback sessions. This focus on resident involvement is crucial for ensuring that housing services are responsive to the needs of tenants, particularly those in vulnerable situations, and that their voices are heard in decision-making processes.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Community Scrutiny Committee meeting documents.

Other Matters

The Licensing Committee met on Wednesday 24 June 2026. No summary or transcript was available for this meeting.

The Assessment Sub Committee met on Monday 22 June 2026. No summary or transcript was available for this meeting.

This week in North West Leicestershire:

Pub Licence Under Scrutiny: Extended Hours and Outdoor Bar Spark Noise Concerns

The Licensing Sub Committee met on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, to consider a controversial application to extend the operating hours of The Bull's Head pub in Ashby de la Zouch. The application, which sought to allow alcohol sales until 2:00 am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and to include an external bar in the beer garden, drew objections from both the Ashby Civic Society and Leicestershire Police.

Residents' Concerns Over Noise and Nuisance

The Ashby Civic Society voiced concerns about potential public nuisance, fearing that extended late-night hours, particularly with an outdoor bar, could lead to increased noise and anti-social behaviour impacting local residents. Leicestershire Police also raised objections, citing worries about the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. These concerns are particularly relevant given that The Bull's Head is located within a cumulative impact zone (CIZ) in Ashby de la Zouch. A CIZ is an area where the council believes the density of licensed premises may be contributing to local problems, meaning new applications are expected to demonstrate they won't worsen existing issues.

Conditions and Compromises

To address these concerns, the applicant, Ms. Selina Wallis, proposed a series of conditions. These included enhanced staff training, CCTV operation, incident logging, a strict Challenge 25 policy[^1] to prevent underage sales, and measures to manage crowds and control noise. Leicestershire Police also agreed to a number of conditions, such as specific CCTV requirements, the deployment of Security Industry Authority (SIA)[^2] door supervisors on Saturdays, and the use of body-worn cameras.

The Licensing Act 2003[^3] guides these decisions, with the committee weighing the applicant's proposals against the licensing objectives and the council's Statement of Licensing Policy. The potential outcomes ranged from granting the licence as requested, to modifying its conditions, or rejecting it entirely. Any decision made would have been subject to appeal.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Licensing Sub Committee meeting documents.

Council Performance and Policies Under Review by Scrutiny Committee

The Corporate Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, 18 June 2026, to conduct a thorough review of the council's performance, policies, and ongoing work. The committee examined key reports covering the Council Delivery Plan, business continuity, customer service, and corporate complaints, providing a vital check on the council's operations and its impact on residents.

Delivery Plan: Successes and Areas for Improvement

The committee reviewed the Council Delivery Plan performance report for the fourth quarter of 2025/26. Councillor Keith Merrie, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, presented findings that highlighted strong performance in areas such as planning application determination, regeneration activity, and housing services. Notably, North West Leicestershire achieved the highest recycling rate in Leicestershire, a positive step towards the council's Clean and Green priority. However, the report also identified areas needing attention, including customer complaints performance and the assurance of statements of accounts, which have faced challenges. Progress on the Zero Carbon Roadmap was also summarised.

Ensuring Resilience and Addressing Complaints

The committee also considered the Corporate Business Continuity Policy, designed to ensure the council can maintain essential services during disruptions or emergencies. This policy is crucial for residents who rely on council services, especially during unforeseen events.

Furthermore, the Annual Corporate Complaints Report for 2025/26 was reviewed. Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, presented data showing a decrease in complaints compared to the previous year, though Housing Repairs and Waste Services remained areas with the highest complaint volumes. The report analysed complaint themes, response times, and financial remedies awarded, with a focus on learning and improving customer service. The Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy was also discussed, aiming to provide a consistent approach to redress when service standards fall short.

Customer Service and Scrutiny's Role

The Customer Services Annual Report for 2025/26 detailed performance metrics, including call volumes and digital service usage. While customer satisfaction was generally positive, the report noted challenges such as an increase in abusive behaviour towards staff and recruitment difficulties. The Annual Scrutiny Report for 2025/26 summarised the work of both the Corporate and Community Scrutiny Committees, highlighting their role in holding the council to account and making recommendations for improvement.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Corporate Scrutiny Committee meeting documents.

Other Matters

The Determination Sub Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 17 June 2026, was postponed. The committee was due to consider allegations of a failure to observe the code of conduct.

This week in North West Leicestershire:

Local Plan Moves Forward: Housing, Jobs, and Green Spaces Shape Our Future

The Council and Cabinet met this week to advance the crucial North West Leicestershire Local Plan, a document that will guide development and shape our district for years to come. This plan is more than just a blueprint for buildings; it's about ensuring we have the right homes, jobs, and green spaces for everyone in our community, especially those who are most vulnerable.

A Vision for Growth: The Local Plan Takes Shape

Both the Council on Thursday, 11 June 2026, and the Cabinet on Thursday, 11 June 2026, discussed the Proposed North West Leicestershire Local Plan, moving it closer to public consultation under Regulation 19. This plan is vital for managing growth sustainably and preventing uncontrolled development that could strain our infrastructure and services.

• Housing for All: The plan sets a housing requirement of 690 dwellings per annum, aiming for 12,420 homes by 2042. This is crucial for addressing the housing crisis and ensuring a mix of homes, including affordable options, are available for families, young people, and older residents.
• Economic Opportunities: It also outlines strategies for economic development, including land for employment and significant floorspace for strategic warehousing. This is key to creating local jobs and supporting our economy, but it also raises questions about the impact on traffic and the environment.
• Protecting Our Environment: The plan emphasizes environmental considerations, including the impact on the River Mease Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Mitigation measures are being developed, but careful planning is needed to ensure development doesn't harm our precious natural resources.

The plan's progression is a significant step, but the details of how it will be implemented will have a direct impact on the character of our villages and towns, the availability of services, and the quality of life for all residents.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Council meeting documents and the Cabinet meeting documents.

Capital Investment to Boost Moira Furnace Visitor Experience

The Council met on Monday, 8 June 2026, to approve significant investment in the Moira Furnace Visitor Experience Improvement Programme. This project, a flagship scheme within the Districtwide Regeneration Framework, will see £2.455 million invested over two years to enhance this historic site.

The improvements include a new operational and storage facility for the Trust, a visitor centre with a café and restaurant, and enhanced site access, parking, and play areas. This investment is expected to attract more visitors, support local businesses, and create a more vibrant community hub. For residents, this means better access to local heritage and improved leisure facilities.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Council meeting documents.

Planning Decisions: Homes in Kegworth and Swannington

The Planning Committee met on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, to consider several planning applications that will shape our local neighbourhoods.

Kegworth: House in Multiple Occupation Concerns

An application for a change of use from a residential dwelling to a small House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Kegworth was discussed. Concerns were raised by Kegworth Parish Council and neighbours about the impact on highway safety, on-street parking, and the balance of housing in the area. The report recommended granting permission, subject to conditions, but the debate highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing housing needs with community character and infrastructure capacity. HMOs can provide much-needed accommodation, but their concentration can affect local services and the feel of a neighbourhood.

Swannington: Extensions and Heritage Impact

An application for significant extensions to a property in Swannington was also reviewed. Objections were raised by Swannington Parish Council and a neighbour, citing concerns about the scale of the extensions and their impact on the view of a nearby Grade II listed building. The report recommended granting permission, subject to conditions. These decisions underscore the careful consideration given to development proposals, balancing the rights of property owners with the need to protect local heritage and amenity.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Planning Committee meeting documents.

Audit and Governance Committee Reviews Financial Health and Information Risk

The Audit and Governance Committee met on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, to scrutinise the council's financial management and information governance. Key discussions included the 2025/26 Annual Audit Plan, treasury management, and the Senior Information Risk Officer's (SIRO) annual report.

The committee reviewed the audit plan, which outlines how the council's finances will be examined, and received updates on treasury management, which involves the council's borrowing and investment activities. The SIRO's report detailed how the council manages information risk, ensuring compliance with data protection laws like the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. This is vital for protecting residents' personal data and maintaining public trust.

The committee also looked at the draft Annual Governance Statement, which assesses the effectiveness of the council's governance arrangements, and received an update on the Unit 4 finance system, which has faced challenges since its implementation. These discussions are essential for ensuring the council operates with integrity and manages public funds responsibly.

You can find more details about these discussions in the Audit and Governance Committee meeting documents.

Other Matters

The Determination Sub Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, 8 June 2026, was cancelled.