The Cabinet of North West Leicestershire Council met on Tuesday 19 May 2026 to discuss the Council's performance report for the fourth quarter of 2025/26, an action plan to improve housing services following an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing, and plans for the second phase of improvements at Moira Furnace.

Council Delivery Plan - Performance Report - Quarter 4 2025/26

The meeting was scheduled to receive a performance report on the Council Delivery Plan for the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. The report, presented by Allison Thomas, Chief Executive, was intended to highlight progress against the Council's four key priority areas: A well-run Council, Clean and Green, Housing and Communities, and Planning and Regeneration. The report detailed performance against 18 key performance indicators (KPIs).

Key areas of positive progress noted in the report included strong planning application determination rates, with the Council exceeding government targets. Good progress was also reported on the emerging Local Plan and the adoption of the Good Design Guide SPD. Regeneration activity was described as gathering momentum, with the Coalville Regeneration Framework and the Districtwide Regeneration Framework progressing well. The Housing Service was showing significant improvement, with rising tenant satisfaction and improving repairs satisfaction. Environmental performance was highlighted as a strength, with North West Leicestershire achieving the highest recycling rate in Leicestershire. Clear progress was also noted on climate and biodiversity commitments.

However, the report also identified areas requiring improvement. Customer complaints performance remained below target, and external audit outcomes presented a significant challenge, with disclaimed opinions received for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 accounts. Some indicators were noted as being constrained by legislative or reporting cycles.

Housing Action Plans Post Inspection

Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, was scheduled to present a report on Housing Action Plans Post Inspection. This report followed an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in August 2025, which resulted in a C2 grading for the Council, indicating some weaknesses in delivering consumer standards, specifically in relation to the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

The report outlined a Housing Improvement Strategy Action Plan designed to address the RSH findings. The plan's objectives included achieving a C1 reclassification for consumer standards, improving tenant satisfaction and service delivery, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Key objectives focused on improving response times and satisfaction levels in complaint handling, reducing repair completion times, increasing customer data usage for informed decision-making, and enhancing tenant engagement. The plan proposed a revised service plan, a review of governance, and new monitoring metrics, with an aspiration to achieve a C1 grading.

The report detailed specific actions and objectives under each of the RSH consumer standards:

• Safety and Quality Standard: Actions included reviewing the maintenance backlog, prioritizing urgent repairs, implementing a new digital reporting system for tenants, consolidating asset and compliance management systems, completing stock condition surveys, ensuring all properties meet fire and electrical safety regulations, and training staff and contractors on compliance.
• Neighbourhood and Community Standard: Actions focused on maintaining key partnerships to offer an effective anti-social behaviour (ASB) service, reviewing data from tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs) to identify trends, increasing officer presence on estates, and ensuring a robust and up-to-date hate crime policy.
• Tenancy Standard: Actions included detailing allocations outcomes, waiting list information, and stock turnover in the annual report, and providing articles on housing options in the InTouch publication.
• Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard: Actions aimed to increase the visibility and transparency of housing performance information, co-design a communications plan with tenants, embed governance communications, refresh and republish the tenant involvement strategy, and establish a golden thread of improvement through co-production. This also included reviewing governance to strengthen the role of the Housing Improvement Board (HIB) and creating new team structures to support tenant engagement. A wide menu of tenant engagement opportunities was to be offered to widen representation.

The report also noted comments and recommendations from the Community Scrutiny Committee, which included suggestions regarding the language and accessibility of the action plan, the testing of the digital repairs reporting system, clarification of stock condition survey timescales, and the need for broader tenant engagement beyond formal meetings.

Moira Furnace Visitor Experience Improvement Programme (Phase Two)

Councillor Tony Gillard, Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, was scheduled to present plans for the second phase of the Moira Furnace Visitor Experience Improvement Programme. This project is identified as a flagship scheme within the Districtwide Regeneration Framework and aligns with the Council's ambition to transform the former coalfield area as part of the National Forest.

The report detailed that Moira Furnace, a scheduled monument dating back to 1806, is operated by the Moira Furnace Museum Trust on behalf of the Council. Phase One of the restoration and refurbishment works concluded in March 2026, with funding from the Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Phase Two investment proposes several improvements, including:

• A fit-for-purpose operational and storage facility for the Trust.
• A new visitor centre, incorporating café/restaurant, interpretation, and toilet facilities.
• Improved site access, including a bridge loft, roadways, parking upgrades (with EV charging), play facilities, and canal structural and safety works.

A further Phase Three is also being planned, which could focus on the basement entrance area, retaining walls, and monument interpretation and illumination. These proposed improvements align with the findings of the 2021 Options Appraisal Report and a subsequent Moira Furnace Café Development Study.

The expected benefits of Phase Two improvements include increased footfall and visitor numbers, longer dwell times on site, an upgraded visitor experience, enhanced reputation, and increased footfall to associated businesses. The project is recommended to be financed through the Business Rates Reserve, with an allocation of £2.455 million to the Council's Capital Programme for fees and works over 2026-2028. The procurement of the professional design team is planned via the Scape Framework, with the construction contract procurement to be determined later.

The report also highlighted the role of the Moira Furnace Museum Trust, its charitable objects, and its accreditation as a museum. It noted the Council's legal responsibility for the scheduled monument and outlined project risks, including materials availability, contractor pricing, and the potential impact of Local Government Reorganisation. A proposed project timeframe from July 2026 to May 2028 was outlined. The Community Scrutiny Committee had reviewed the proposed Phase Two project and provided comments, which were included in the report.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The agenda indicated that the press and public would be excluded during the consideration of certain items in accordance with Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, as publicity would likely result in the disclosure of exempt or confidential information. These items included the disposal of housing properties on Northfield Drive, Coalville, and other acquisitions and disposals.