The Corporate Scrutiny Committee of North West Leicestershire Council was scheduled to discuss the Council's performance against its delivery plan, housing improvement strategies, and biodiversity commitments. The meeting was also set to review proposals for a Legacy Fund grant scheme and a grant scheme for closed churchyards and cemeteries.

Council Delivery Plan - Performance Report - 2025/26 Quarter 3

The committee was scheduled to review the Council Delivery Plan - Performance Report - 2025/26 Quarter 3¹. This report, presented by Councillor Rushton, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, was intended to provide an update on the Council's performance against its key performance indicators (KPIs) for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. The Council Delivery Plan, agreed in November 2023, covers the period until May 2027 and is monitored quarterly. The report detailed progress across four priority areas: A well-run Council, Clean and Green, Housing and Communities, and Planning and Regeneration. Key progress areas highlighted included strong performance in planning application determination, the development of a new Good Design Guide, and advancements in regeneration projects like the Marlborough Centre. Areas requiring improvement included tenant satisfaction for housing services and customer complaint timeliness. The report also noted challenges in achieving carbon neutrality targets.

Housing Action Plans Post Inspection

A significant item on the agenda was the Housing Action Plans Post Inspection², presented by Councillor Andrew Woodman, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Property and Customer Services. This report followed an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in August 2025, which resulted in a C2 grading for North West Leicestershire District Council, indicating some weaknesses in delivering consumer standards, particularly in the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. The report detailed a draft Housing Improvement Strategy Action Plan designed to address the RSH's findings and move towards a C1 grading. Key objectives of the plan included achieving regulatory compliance, improving tenant satisfaction, enhancing complaint handling, reducing repair times, and increasing customer data utilisation. The plan also proposed strengthening tenant engagement through a new tenant-led Housing Improvement Group (HIG) and enhancing the role of the Housing Improvement Board (HIB).

Legacy Fund Grant and Closed Churchyards/Cemeteries Grant Scheme

The committee was also scheduled to review proposals for the Legacy Fund Grant and Closed Churchyards/Cemeteries Grant Scheme³, presented by Councillor K Merrie MBE, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Corporate. Following Council approval in February 2026, a Legacy Grant Scheme was established with £2 million allocated to support local initiatives and properties that offer long-term community benefits. The scheme includes revenue grants of up to £25,000 and capital grants of up to £250,000. The report outlined the application and assessment framework, emphasizing transparency, fairness, and strategic alignment with Council priorities. A separate grant scheme for closed churchyards and cemeteries was also presented, designed to assist parish councils with the costs associated with maintaining these sites, preventing undue financial burden on local taxpayers.

Biodiversity Duty Report

The committee was set to consider the Council's Biodiversity Duty Report⁴, presented by Councillor Michael Wyatt, Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change. This report detailed how the Council has met its statutory duty under the Environment Act 2021 and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 to conserve and enhance biodiversity. The report covered the period from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025 and outlined existing policies, objectives, partnerships, and actions taken, as well as future plans. It also included information on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), detailing actions taken to meet BNG obligations for planning applications, the BNG achieved from approved plans, and how these obligations will be met in the next reporting period. The report highlighted the Council's commitment to biodiversity through its environmental policies, the Zero Carbon Roadmap, the Leicestershire Climate and Nature Pact, and various regeneration and green infrastructure projects.

Items for Inclusion in the Future Work Programme

Finally, the committee was scheduled to consider items for inclusion in its future work programme⁵. This involved reviewing a list of potential topics for future scrutiny, along with the principles and criteria used for assessing and prioritising these items. The work programme is developed through consultation with members, senior officers, and Cabinet members, and considers corporate priorities, performance data, and requests from members. The committee was also provided with a notice of executive key decisions, outlining matters likely to be decided by the Council's Cabinet in the coming months.