The Economic Development, Transport and Climate Emergency Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to consider updates on parking fees and usage, the affordability of transport options within the city, and the Leicester Adult Education service's participation in a new government pilot programme. The commission was also due to review its work programme.

Parking Fees and Usage Update

A report was scheduled to be presented to the commission detailing the impact of increased on-street and off-street parking charges, which were implemented on 2nd June 2025. This review was requested following the committee meeting on 23rd April 2025. The report was expected to provide feedback on car park usage since the charges were increased. The report indicated that between June and December 2025, on-street parking income increased by 26% compared to the same period in 2024, while off-street car park income rose by 21%. Despite a 7% decrease in off-street transactions, overall income for the seven-month period was £3.4 million, a £0.6 million increase from the previous year. The report noted that these figures were broadly in line with projections. The increase in charges was implemented to address rising operational costs, revenue budget pressures, align with other local authorities, and encourage a shift towards sustainable transport.

Transport Affordability

The commission was scheduled to receive a report providing information on the affordability of transport options in Leicester, with a specific focus on passenger transport. This item arose from concerns raised by young people regarding the cost of bus travel. The report was expected to compare the costs of various transport modes, including walking, cycling, private vehicles, and public transport. It was noted that while national bus fare caps are in place, concerns about crowding and reliability were identified as greater barriers than cost for some passengers. The report was also to outline existing initiatives by the city council and the Leicester Buses Partnership to support ticket pricing, such as discretionary local enhancements to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, the Travel Aid scheme for the unemployed, flexible ticket options, and student concessions. Benchmarking against other combined authorities indicated that Leicester's flexi day ticket was priced higher than some comparable schemes, which was attributed to the scale and funding models of those areas.

Adult Education - Pathways to Devolution

A report was scheduled to update the commission on the Leicester Adult Education service's invitation to participate in the Department for Education's (DfE) Pathways to Devolution Pilot. This initiative aims to enhance local decision-making regarding provision to address local skills gaps. Under the pilot, from 1st August 2026, the DfE will reallocate funding previously used for national providers to the local authority's Adult Education service. This represents an increase of approximately £1.95 million per annum, trebling the existing Adult Skills Fund grant to £2.9 million. The report was to outline the proposed approach for utilising this additional funding, highlighting opportunities and key risks. The funding is subject to national funding rules and Ofsted requirements, covering selected qualification courses up to Level 3 for eligible residents aged 19 and over. The report detailed the number of enrolments previously delivered by national providers in Leicester and set out five principles to underpin the council's adult learning and skills development programmes: Empowerment and Inclusion, Relevance and Responsiveness, Collaboration and Partnership, Lifelong and Life-Wide Learning, and Leadership and Sustainability. Proposed priorities for 2026-28 were to include extending existing provision and developing new programmes to meet identified skills gaps, focusing on core, transferable, and essential skills, as well as initial steps into technical vocational pathways. The report also discussed the potential use of a development grant for preparatory work, including data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and recruitment. Key risks identified included under-delivery and fund clawback, the quality of subcontracted provision, and fraud.

Work Programme

The commission was scheduled to consider its work programme and make suggestions for additional items. A future report was requested to update on the status of the textiles sector, and an overview of the development of an economic growth strategy was proposed for inclusion. It was also requested that the upcoming report on car park usage include information on on-street parking. The Pride in Place programme was noted as an issue for the Culture and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Commission.

Questions, Representations and Statements of Case

A question was scheduled to be raised by Huzaifa Lorgat concerning the condition of Coleman Road, highlighting the presence of potholes despite it hosting the General Hospital and an Emergency Ambulance station. The question also sought to understand the council's quality checking process for road repairs, as residents reported issues remaining unresolved after being marked as 'resolved' on the love clean street app.