The Portfolio Holder Decisions/Leader Decisions meeting on Friday 30 January 2026 saw a series of approvals for fee and charge adjustments across various council services, alongside decisions on planning partnerships and school term dates. A significant decision was made to approve the publication of proposals for the closure of Great Alne Primary School.

Memorandum of Understanding with Local Planning Authorities

Councillor George Finch, Leader of the Council, approved the partnership arrangements outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coventry City Council and the five District and Borough Councils in Warwickshire. This MoU is intended to cover matters of strategic importance relating to housing and employment needs across the Coventry and Warwickshire Housing Market Area (HMA) and Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA). It is framed within the legal requirement of the planning duty to co-operate, introduced by the Localism Act 2011, which mandates local planning authorities and county councils to work together on strategic cross-boundary matters. The agreement acknowledges the housing and employment needs identified in the Coventry and Warwickshire Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA) and commits the parties to ongoing collaboration.

Fees and Charges for 2026/27 – County Highways

Councillor Jennifer Warren, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, approved changes to fees and charges for County Highways, effective from 1 April 2026. These adjustments are part of a regular review process to ensure charges reflect the costs of delivery, offer value for money, and remain competitive with other local authorities and commercial sectors. The report detailed that increases ranging from 2.6% to 4.2% are proposed to cover expected inflation and cost increases, maintaining the principle of full cost recovery for services such as licensing activities for the placement of building equipment on the highway, and permissions for changes to the highway like dropped kerb accesses.

Fees and Charges for 2026/27 – Trading Standards

Councillor Michael Bannister, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Localities, approved changes to fees and charges for Trading Standards and Calibration Services from 1 April 2026. This decision follows a streamlined process for setting fees and charges across the Communities Directorate, ensuring consistency in financial planning and enabling timely reviews. The Trading Standards Service, which acts as a regulatory body and an approved body for testing weighing and measuring instruments, will see adjustments to its hourly rates and other services. Calibration Services, which provides calibration for weights, flowmeters, and local authority weights and measures equipment, will also see revised fees, with modest increases proposed for 2026/27 to remain competitive.

Fees and Charges for 2026/27 – Country Parks, Waste Management and Ecology, Historic Environment & Landscape Services

Councillor Darren Cheshire, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Heritage and Culture, approved changes to fees and charges for Country Parks, Waste Management, and Ecology, Historic Environment & Landscape Services, effective from 1 April 2026. These changes are part of a regular review to ensure charges reflect delivery costs and remain competitive. For Country Parks, parking charges at several locations will see adjustments, with some price freezes and others increasing by 2% to 20% to align with other parks. Charges for school activities and ranger-led events will also be adjusted. Waste Management fees for commercial waste will see varied changes, with some charges frozen and others increasing to reflect inflation or new contract prices. Ecology, Historic Environment & Landscape Services will see a 4% increase across all charges to cover inflation.

School Term and Holiday Dates 2027/28

Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, approved the proposed school term dates for 2027/28. The decision follows a non-statutory engagement exercise with state-funded schools and academies, which indicated general agreement with the proposed dates due to their similarity to previous years and neighbouring authorities. The proposed dates align with the West Midlands Regional Group of LAs' recommendations, including two local authority-defined teacher training days at the start of the autumn and spring terms.

Request to Publish Proposals on the Proposed Closure of Great Alne Primary School

Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, approved the publication of proposals for the closure of Great Alne Primary School. This decision allows for formal representations to be sought before a final determination by Cabinet, in accordance with the statutory process. Great Alne Primary School faces challenges due to declining pupil numbers, with only 13 pupils on roll in January 2026 against a capacity of 112. Despite improvements in educational standards and significant council investment, the school's financial viability and sustainability remain a concern. The consultation on the closure proposals revealed that 77% of respondents disagreed with the closure, citing the school's importance to the community and the need for local school places. However, evidence suggests that future pupil numbers in the village and surrounding area are low, and there is sufficient capacity in nearby schools to accommodate displaced pupils. The council has undertaken all reasonable endeavours to support the school's viability.