The Council is scheduled to consider motions regarding local government reorganisation and the management of community assets, alongside reports on constitutional amendments, treasury management, and recommendations from the Debate Not Hate Working Group. The meeting will also receive the Scrutiny Annual Report.

Motions on Local Government Reorganisation and Community Assets

A key item scheduled for discussion is a motion from Councillor M B Wyatt concerning the proposed local government reorganisation for Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The motion expresses concern that the creation of two new unitary councils with an expanded city boundary will lead to a severe reduction in democratic representation for our residents and a lack of geographical and community coherence. It argues that local government should remain truly local and that the proposed unitary authorities will be too large and more remote from local communities. The motion also notes the legal challenges being pursued by other local councils, such as Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council, against these proposals. Despite these concerns, the motion acknowledges the value of devolution in empowering local leaders for growth and prosperity. It proposes that the Chief Executive write to government ministers advocating for a devolution settlement that would deliver strategic and spatial planning, transport, infrastructure, skills, and growth for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire, while accepting potential feasibility issues of joining existing authorities at this late stage.

Another motion, from Councillor T Eynon, addresses the implications of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on community assets. With both Leicestershire County Council and North West Leicestershire District Council set to cease to exist in April 2028, the motion highlights the ongoing Community Governance Review aimed at creating parishes in unparished areas, including Coalville. It notes that at the creation of a parish, responsibility for open space, community buildings, and recreation facilities is typically devolved from the district to the new parish council. The motion states that Local Government Reorganisation is intended to devolve power, responsibility and funding to those community organisations best placed to decide how to make use of them. In the absence of alternative arrangements, all middle- and upper-tier council-owned community assets will pass to the new Leicestershire and Rutland Unitary Authority. In the spirit of devolution, the motion proposes that the Council work alongside existing Parish and Town Councils, representatives of unparished district wards, and officers of the County Council and Shadow Unitary Council. It requests that the Cabinet undertake a strategic review of all council-owned community assets in North West Leicestershire, including open spaces, community buildings (such as Stenson House), recreation areas (like the Owen Street football ground), and other facilities (including car parks). The aim is to develop a Strategic Community Asset Management Plan that includes options for transfer and disposal that aims to retain responsibility, power, and funding of community assets in and for the communities that make use of them.

Amendments to the Constitution for Planning Functions

The Council is scheduled to consider amendments to its Constitution to reflect the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026. These regulations, which come into force on 31 October 2026, introduce a new national scheme for how planning applications are determined, with a greater emphasis on officers making decisions. The report from the Head of Legal and Support Services outlines that these changes will alter the delegation of planning functions, meaning that certain types of applications, categorised as Schedule 1 applications, must be determined by officers. Other applications, designated as Schedule 2, are presumed to be determined by officers unless a specific gateway test is met and agreed upon by a nominated officer and member. This represents a significant shift from the previous system where local authorities had more discretion in determining how applications were decided, and it removes the ability for a local councillor to call in an application for committee determination. The report details the specific types of applications that fall under Schedule 1 and Schedule 2, as well as the criteria for referring Schedule 2 and own interest applications to the Planning Committee. The proposed amendments aim to ensure the Council's Constitution is legally compliant with these new regulations.

Treasury Management Stewardship Report 2025/26

A report on the Council's Treasury Management activity for the financial year 2025/26 is scheduled for review. Presented by Councillor Keith Merrie MBE, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, the report informs the Council of the treasury management activities undertaken during the year. It confirms that a prudent approach was adopted, prioritising security and liquidity over yield in investment activities. The report states there were no breaches of the Treasury Management Strategy Statement during the period. The report details the Council's borrowing and investment positions, including external borrowing of £53.8m and total investments of £31.0m as of 31 March 2026. It also covers the external economic context, financial market performance, and credit reviews of financial institutions. The report highlights that the Council's treasury management activities complied with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's (CIPFA) Code of Practice and that all prudential indicators were met.

Recommendations of the Debate Not Hate Working Group

The Council is set to consider recommendations from the Debate Not Hate Working Group. This group was established following the Local Government Association's (LGA) campaign to address the abuse and intimidation faced by councillors. The report outlines the findings of the LGA's survey, which indicated that a significant percentage of councillors experience abuse, misinformation, and threats. The working group has undertaken a self-assessment using the LGA's toolkit, focusing on five core principles: creating supportive and informed spaces, adopting a risk-led approach, establishing an infrastructure for support, fostering connections with the police, and creating a culture of safety and respect. The self-assessment summary identifies gaps in current support for councillors and proposes further actions to mitigate the impact and risk of abuse and intimidation. The recommendations include reviewing committee etiquette, implementing mandatory training for chairs, investigating wellbeing support services for councillors, developing a social media policy, and improving communication channels with the police. The report proposes that officers commence work on these actions with the assistance of the working group, with a further progress update scheduled for February 2027.

Scrutiny Annual Report

The Council is scheduled to receive the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26. This report, presented by Councillor Dr Terri Eynon, Chair of the Community Scrutiny Committee, summarises the work undertaken by both the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Community Scrutiny Committee over the preceding 12 months. The report details the principles of good scrutiny, its importance, and its role within North West Leicestershire. It outlines the areas of responsibility for each committee and highlights public involvement in the scrutiny process. The report indicates that 32 reports were received into scrutiny, with 22 recommendations submitted to Cabinet, 11 of which were accepted. It also details the work of the Scrutiny Work Programming Group, which manages the committees' workloads and identifies future investigation topics. The annual report provides specific details on the key topics scrutinised by each committee, including the Council's budget setting, performance monitoring, local government reorganisation, customer experience strategy, and various community-focused initiatives such as disabled facilities grants, the Moira Furnace Visitor Experience Improvement Programme, and leisure centres.