More than 10,000 people have responded to a survey about recycling containers in North West Leicestershire.
With four weeks to go until the survey closes on Sunday 14 April, 10,587 people have given their views.
Find out more about the three options and complete the survey online.
More information – on the sizes of the different options and how they compare to the current boxes and bags, as well as a video showing how the different options would be used – is available on the website at www.nwleics.gov.uk/binreview
Anyone who would like to see the different options in person can call in to the council’s Customer Centre on Belvoir Road in Coalville. They will be on display until Friday 12 April.
The results of the consultation will be reviewed by the council’s waste team, before a recommendation is made to Cabinet and a decision is made. The council will then draft a plan for introducing the new system in line with government change.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change, said: “Waste and recycling collections are the one thing that impacts on every single household in the district, so it’s really important that we know what people would prefer as we think about changing our collection system.
“We’re delighted with the response to our survey so far, which has outstripped any consultation we’ve done previously. I’m not surprised – it’s the one thing that everyone has an opinion about.”
Measham Leisure Centre had the red tape cut, signalling the opening of a brand-new gym.
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) have invested £307,000 into providing the Leisure Centre with state-of-the-art gym equipment and a new virtual spin room that can be used for exercise classes.
The gym is kitted out with new Matrix-branded equipment such as treadmills, multi-functional strength machines, pull-down machines, exercise bikes and multiple dumbbells varying in different weights.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community Services and Climate Change, said: “This is part of our investment into leisure to areas around the district and I am proud to make exercise more accessible to the people of Measham.
“I am hoping this increases the memberships to the leisure centre and gets people more active within the community.”
A community lottery that will put money towards good causes and community funding was approved by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) this week.
The community lottery scheme, which will see 60p of the £1 lottery ticket price being given to a local ‘good causes’ – split between a local voluntary or community group for their projects and initiatives (40p), and NWLDC for a community grants programme (20p).
The remainder will be allocated towards prize money for ticket holders and a small amount to the organisation that manages the lottery itself.
Similar schemes are run in around 140 councils nationwide, including several in Leicestershire, with the aim of helping good causes raise money within their local community.
It will take four to five months to launch the scheme, as appropriate licenses are required from the Gambling Commission and time would be needed to sign community organisations up to the scheme.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change at NWLDC, said: “The idea of a community lottery scheme, which supports local community groups and organisations to bolster their funding streams, has been an idea I’ve supported for a long time, and I’m delighted that we’ll soon have this in North West Leicestershire.
“We can see schemes like this working well in other local areas, and I’ve already spoken to several charities and groups who are interested in taking part. Added to that, we’ll be able to create a community fund from the percentage we take, which again will be put into the community.
“As we head towards launching the scheme, I would encourage local people and organisations to get on board with this innovative way of raising money for good causes.”
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) has approved a balanced budget, which has reduced its predicted funding gap by almost £2 million.
Council approved the budget at its meeting on Thursday 22 February 2024.
Ongoing work to reduce costs and increase income has seen a predicted gap in the council’s budget reduce to £2 million by 2028/29.
Previous predictions had set this gap at just over £4 million, but work to improve efficiency at the council, as well as increasing income and reducing outgoings has resulted in a balanced budget this year and a more positive financial outlook for the authority.
Budget highlights
Councillor Nick Rushton, Corporate Portfolio Holder for NWLDC, said “In these times of financial uncertainty and difficulty for many councils up and down the country, I’m incredibly proud of the work that officers and members at this council have done – not only to put together a balanced budget for the coming year, but to reduce the predicted gap in our budget for the future.
“We’re making difficult decisions, but we’re doing it whilst listening to people’s views – whether that’s the public or our elected members – and whilst making sure we can still invest in our priority areas.
“We’re committed to growing our district in a sustainable way, to taking care of our environment, to keeping our communities safe and looking after our tenants, and - importantly – to being a well-run council. Our finances are in good order and we’re always looking for ways to make sure we’re providing value for money.”
Watch the Council meeting
A recording of the Council meeting is available at www.nwleics.gov.uk/committees
The current recycling system in North West Leicestershire could be binned in favour of new containers.
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) is asking residents to review three options to replace the current boxes and bags used to collect paper, card, plastics, cans and glass.
A consultation on three new options will run for eight weeks from Monday 19 February, while the authority continues to review how recycling and waste collection is carried out across the district.
Most residents in the district currently use separate wheelie bins for rubbish and garden waste, a box for plastics and cans, another for glass, bags for paper and bags for card.
The existing system has been in place for 20 years and has seen the council make up to £1 million a year from selling separated recycling materials.
NWLDC is asking residents for their views on three options:
Since 2019, through the council’s Recycle More campaign, around 500 volunteers across the district have trialled different recycling containers - a stackable trolley and a trolley with drawers.
Feedback from residents on both trials and reviews of what is available on the market has led NWLDC to propose the three options featured in the consultation.
The review of the council’s recycling and waste collection service will help NWLDC plan for an increasing population, changes in recycling habits and prepare for changes in collection requirements.
From 2025 the government has announced local authorities will need to collect food waste and cartons at the kerbside, along with a future requirement to collect plastic wrapping and film.
The results of the consultation will be reviewed by the council’s waste service, before a recommendation is presented to Cabinet. The council will then draft a plan for introducing the new system in line with government changes.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change, said: “We know residents are committed to supporting the environment and recycling as much as possible, but we also know there are strong feelings about our current system of red boxes and bags. One of the reasons why I took the post of Portfolio for Community and Climate Change was to deliver a much cleaner and greener system.
“The current system is not environmentally friendly. In fact, it’s added to the problem of litter being left in our streets, broken red boxes, yellow and blue bags flying in the wind. The consultation on the new solutions are a chance for us to bin the boxes and bags, so please let us know which option you think would work best.
“The consultation is part of a wider review of our waste service, it will take time to implement but we haven’t made any decisions so want to hear as much feedback as possible.”
Informative stalls, community engagement and a free climbing wall are all available at the upcoming Health and Wellbeing Roadshow organised and hosted by North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) and Everyone Active.
The free event on Friday 23 February (12pm until 4pm), gives local residents, of any age, the chance to meet the people behind the services and find out more about what’s going on in the district. In previous years, this has been very popular, attracting over 200 people in both 2022 and 2023.
The Health and Wellbeing Roadshow is taking place at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre and aims to bring together experts, professionals, and the local community to explore various aspects of health.
Visitors will get the chance to visit around 40 informative stalls that each offer unique expertise not only around health but anything that could influence day to day lives, such as the cost-of-living crisis, housing, education and employment, lifestyle choices and social opportunities.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change, said: “No matter if you’re concerned about your health or at the peak of fitness, the roadshow is free to attend for anyone.
“We hope this roadshow will empower individuals to make positive choices for their well-being and help to support a strong, healthy community.
“We have closed applications for anymore services after reaching maximum capacity. Thank you to all services that have signed up and I look forward to a successful roadshow.”
More than 6,500 homes in North West Leicestershire will be able to recycle plastic bags with their normal recycling as part of a national trial.
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) has been chosen as the eighth council in England to take part in a major project to pilot the collection of plastic bags and wrapping at the kerbside. The council will launch the trial for selected streets in the Coalville and Greenhill area, along with some rural households.
Plastics such as carrier bags, sweet wrappers, crisp packets, plastic film, bubble wrap, pet food pouches and more will be collected from approximately 6,500 households.
The new service will start on 13 March for selected homes on a Wednesday collection day, including a variety of housing types. Those on the trial will receive information on how to use the new plastic bags and wrapping collection service, together with purple collection bags before the service starts.
Plastic bags and wrapping are a considerable challenge as they represented 22% of all UK consumer plastic packaging in 2020 but only 8% was recycled.
Currently, the only way to recycle plastic bags and wrapping in North West Leicestershire is at supermarket collection points. This trial will help change that by making recycling plastic bags and wrapping more convenient, increasing the amount of packaging the UK recycles.
By 2027 the government will require all councils to collect the packaging at the kerbside. By taking part in the trial, NWLDC is able to explore how the service could operate.
The trial is part of a larger £2.9m Flexible Plastic Fund ‘FlexCollect’ project, which involves nine local authorities across England, and aims to inform government and industry on how plastic bags and wrapping should be added to existing recycling collection services.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for us to trial the collection of plastic wrapping and support the future of collections across the country.
“We’ve selected areas in Coalville, Greenhill and more rural parts of the district to make sure we have different types of homes taking part. The system has been designed to be as simple as possible, with packs of bags provided to households that can be put out with their red boxes and blue bags.”
The management of council housing repairs in North West Leicestershire will be improved following a review by the district council.
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) is setting up an Improvement Board to review the service provided to tenants and a backlog of repairs.
The authority’s Cabinet agreed on Wednesday 31 January to set up the board to oversee changes in process, new IT systems and engagement with tenants following its own internal review.
The backlog in repairs is mainly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected the number and types of repairs that could be completed, especially during lockdowns.
The cost and supply of materials and the ability to recruit, especially to trade professions, has also impacted the authority’s work.
As well as introducing the Improvement Board, led by senior managers and reviewed by councillors, the council will also:
Councillors also heard the conclusion of scrutiny work into NWLDC’s response to damp and mould concerns and complaints.
Members of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee task and finish group recommended the introduction of a new policy, benchmarking of work against other authorities and improved communication for and with tenants.
During a private session of the meeting, where discussions are held without the public present for commercial reasons, Cabinet agreed to award nine contracts worth a total of £25.6 million over their lifetime to help the Housing service with a backlog of repairs following disruption caused by the pandemic.
Councillor Andrew Woodman, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Housing, said: “We’re committed to providing the best service for our tenants, and know that in the past we haven’t always met their expectations or completed work to a standard they expect, so this is an important step in our approach to doing things differently.
“Council houses are not simply buildings, they’re people’s homes. The pandemic and inflationary pressures have affected our response times, our tenants and staff, but we’re on a path to recovery.
“Members of the Corporate Scrutiny Task and Finish Group really delved into the topic to understand how we can learn from others and improve our response to damp and mould. Their time and effort is greatly appreciated and will make a difference to our homes and the people living in them.”
ENDS
Issued by the Communications Team at North West Leicestershire District Council. Contact us on 01530 454546 or email communications@nwleicestershire.gov.uk.
Repairs and investment work for council housing is funded from rental income – known as the council’s Housing Revenue Account.
The contracts, with £25.6 million over their lifetime to clear the backlog of repairs work will be funded from:
The Housing Revenue Account is separate to the council’s ‘General Fund’ budget, which is funded through council tax, fees and charges and grant funding, and is used to fund all other services.
North West Leicestershire District Council’s (NWLDC) budget proposing a 2.75% increase in council tax alongside over £4 million worth of one-off investment will go to Council for consideration on Thursday 22 February 2024.
On Wednesday 31 January 2024 Cabinet recommended that the budget was taken to the final decision-making body, following public consultation.
The consultation on the budget proposals received 117 responses.
The proposals for spending £50,000 on improving CCTV and the 2.75% increase in council tax received the most support from respondents, with 63% of people in favour of the increase in council tax.
The proposals with the least support were in relation to the capital projects for Stenson Square and the Marlborough Centre in Coalville.
Additional comments on the draft budget produced some re-occurring themes including:
Individual responses were also received from Ashby Town Council, Age UK and Ashby Museum.
Responding to a number of concerns that the removal of its £1,460 grant would mean closure for the facility, Cabinet agreed to recommended that the Council retains the small grant to Ashby Museum.
In response to concerns about the £21,990 grant to Age UK, Cabinet members kept the gradual withdrawal of the grant in the budget being recommended to Council on the basis that the charity has other funding streams. Cabinet agreed that the council could work with the charity in different ways to maintain support for local people.
Discussions with a cross-party group of councillors resulted in the proposal to remove the freephone number being taken out of the draft budget, and also for the initial charge for bulky waste collections to be reduced – making it £25 for up to three items instead of the previous £28 (with additional items being £6.20 each rather than £5.80).
Councillor Nick Rushton, Corporate Portfolio Holder for NWLDC, said “I’d like to thank those who gave feedback on the budget proposals, and particularly the work of all councillors in the council, as the range of comments and feedback we’ve received were able to inform our discussions.
“There’s no doubt about it, we’re in a position now where we’re having to make some difficult decisions to be able to balance the budget, but we’re proposing to do this in a way that protects our most important services.
“The investments we’re proposing are in priority areas – Coalville being one of those areas - and use either grant funding or one-off reserves. These are investments that build on work we’re already doing, future-proof our buildings and services, or make our work more efficient and therefore economical.
“We need to make these decisions now for future years if we’re to remain on a sound footing. Bankruptcy is not on the cards for us, but we are having to tighten our belts and make decisions that a few years ago would not have been seen as options.”
Against a backdrop of having to make savings to close a predicted £2 million gap in its £18.24 million budget, Council will be asked in February to approve a range of efficiency or income generating measures, including:
The Council meeting on 22 February is a public meeting. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or watch online.
*£4.36 relates to the increase for a Band D property. 70% of all properties in North West Leicestershire are Bands A – D, meaning the majority of properties will receive this level of increase or less. This figure does not include the other portions of the council tax bill, which are allocated to Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, special expense areas and town and parish councils.
Flood-hit householders and businesses can now apply for Government cash to help them get back on their feet after Storm Henk.
Around 650 homes were flooded across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland earlier this month, with 70 roads closed and over 100 incidents attended by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
People are encouraged to apply for the funding which includes up to £500 for flooded homes, reduced Council Tax and business rates and business recovery grants and more information is now available on council websites.
Tom Purnell, deputy chair of the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Resilience Forum, said: “Our area has faced the full force of Storm Henk and I’m pleased that communities are on the road to recovery.
“Flooding is devastating and we’ve not seen this level of impact for many years, with communities cut off and businesses forced to stop trading.
“This extra money is a welcome helping hand and I’d encourage homeowners and businesses affected to find out more and get their applications in.”
Since New Year, councils, emergency services, charities and other organisations worked round-the-clock to evacuate residents, find them temporary accommodation, set up rest centres, clear standing water, close flooded roads and much more, safeguarding lives and supporting residents to stay safe.
Local leaders called on the Government to release funding and last week, also wrote to the Flooding Minister, Robbie Moore MP, asking the Government to do more for those affected, including more help to businesses without flooding insurance.
These are being managed by district and borough councils - visit our flood funding page to find online application forms, eligibility criteria and extra information. Anyone unable to complete the form online can contact us for support.
Leicestershire County Council will also be running a property flood grant scheme – where eligible flood-hit property owners can apply for up to £5,000 to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding – and more information will be available soon.
Unfortunately, flooding can hit at any time and preparing can protect homes and loved ones.
Residents at risk are advised to:
➡ Check insurance policies to make sure flooding is covered
Unwanted bras can now be recycled in three North West Leicestershire locations to raise money for vital breast cancer research.
North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) is working with charity Against Breast Cancer and three district organisations to offer the collection bins for residents.
The three donation bins will be available at:
Against Breast Cancer works with The Recycling Clothes Company Limited who sell them to independent traders abroad. Traders review the condition of the garments and either sell them on as bras are expensive to produce locally or repurpose the material.
The materials from the bras recycled through the scheme are given a new lease of life, while Against Breast Cancer receives a donation of around 70p for every kilo collected, providing funds for breast cancer research.
For more information about the scheme visit www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change, said: “This is a wonderful initiative that not only prevents material from going to landfill and giving it a new lease of life, but also supports vital research into breast cancer.
“Thank you to everyone involved in the project for providing these recycling bins.”
Duncan Gibb, Everyone Active’s contract manager at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre, said: “We are delighted to play our part in this scheme, enabling the local community to support sustainable practice and raise valuable funds for a fantastic cause.”
Leonora Cope, Chair of Castle Donington Parish Council, said: “What an uplifting opportunity to recycle our old bras! Castle Donington Parish Council are delighted to be able to support this amazing charity to raise funds for Against Breast Cancer.”
Colin Manifold, Chairman of Measham Leisure Centre Management Committee, added: “We fully support the introduction of these bins, supporting people to recycle bras, benefit the environment and provide funding for cutting-age breast cancer research.”
Cabinet meets on Wednesday 31 January, the agenda includes the proposed budget for the next financial year.
Papers are now live and can be viewed at LINK. Consultation responses from the budget consultation will be added before the meeting as an addendum to the report, to ensure all comments and feedback are considered.
Watch the meeting at LINK.
Following discussion by Cabinet, an agreed final budget will be presented to Full Council on 22 February.
Residents will have their say on where homes and businesses will be built in North West Leicestershire over the next decade after councillors voted to launch a consultation.
North West Leicestershire District Council’s (NWLDC) Local Plan Committee voted last night (17 January) to move its draft Local Plan to the next stage and start a consultation next month.
The draft Local Plan sets out where homes and businesses should be developed, areas of the district that should be protected, planning policies developers must follow and how far towns and villages can expand.
Planners at NWLDC have been working with landowners, developers and councillors to understand what land is available to sustainably meet the needs of a growing population.
The council’s existing Local Plan was adopted in 2017 and partially reviewed in 2021 after updated housing need figures were produced for Leicestershire. The plan covers the period until 2031.
Sites allocated in the Local Plan are not given planning permission, but planning applications for these sites are looked upon more favourably when being considered.
The consultation will be open to anyone with an interest in the future development of the district and will run from 5 February to 17 March.
Local drop-in sessions for communities featuring heavily in the draft plan will also be held.
Further details of the consultation and how to take part will be published soon.
Read the papers and watch the Local Plan Committee meeting online.
Councillor Keith Merrie, Portfolio Holder for Infrastructure at NWLDC said: “Our draft Local Plan provides the blueprint for how our district will respond to an increasing population until 2040, so it’s important we understand what residents, businesses and stakeholders think of those plans.
“Our draft plan includes where we think housing should go, where employment land should be allocated and the policies and standards we expect developers to meet.
“Our consultation is a formal part of developing our plan, and really will help shape the future of the district so I would encourage everyone living and working here to take part when it launches next month, and to visit our drop-in sessions to learn more about how the plan will look in their area.”
A £1 million project to improve Kegworth Market Place was given the final seal of last week, ready for work to start before the spring.
North West Leicestershire District Council’s (NWLDC) Cabinet approved the final plans for the major improvement work to the village on 9 January.
The plans have been shaped by public feedback and include:
The project will be paid for with £500,000 from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, £450,000 from North West Leicestershire District Council and £50,000 from Kegworth Parish Council.
NWLDC will manage the project, which will be delivered by Leicestershire County Council.
The project has already seen the installation of gateways on key routes into Kegworth and the relocation of the bus shelter opposite Market Place.
This is a technically complex scheme, which has had to take account of ownership and access issues, public utilities and potential impact on private properties.
A timetable of works will be published as soon as it is available, along with details of any temporary disruption.
Councillor Richard Blunt, NWLDC Leader, said: “Thank you to everyone who has so far been involved in this project, I am pleased we can confirm to the people of Kegworth that work will be able to start later this year to improve the area for residents, visitors and businesses."
Proposals include:
Members of the public are being asked for their views on North West Leicestershire District Council’s (NWLDC) draft budget proposals following Cabinet consideration last night (Tuesday 9 January).
The draft budget, which for the first time in 15 years proposes an increase in council tax for NWLDC services, also includes investment in buildings and infrastructure across the district using one-off reserves and government grants totalling more than £4 million.
The fees the council charges for some of its services are proposed to increase and it is proposed that the former Council Offices building will be demolished to free the land up, giving the council an income from its sale.
Members of the public can give their feedback until Tuesday 23 January 2024. Hard copies of the consultation are available on request.
From its total £18.4 million budget (not including housing, which is funded through rental income), the council is predicting annual shortfalls in its budget rising to £2 million in 2028/29.
The report to Cabinet details the financial pressures being felt by NWLDC and local authorities across the country, brought about largely by inflation and the increasing cost of providing services at a time when demand is particularly high.
In addition, uncertainty around funding for NWLDC services comes from an impending government decision on business rates.
NWLDC currently receives the highest income through business rates of any district council country-wide, but a redistribution of this funding by the government in future years could see a cut to this key NWLDC income, putting additional pressure on its services.
Whilst the budget presented to Cabinet for 2024/25 is balanced, these uncertain or reducing income streams coupled with the increased cost of utilities, materials and staffing means NWLDC is predicting a gap in its budget in future years.
The proposed council tax increase of 2.75% would see most households in North West Leicestershire paying an extra £4.36 a year or less for district council services*, including waste collection, street cleaning, parks and leisure.
This change in approach would allow the council to bring in increased income from council tax year on year, which would support efforts to close the funding gap.
The budget proposals include an increase in fees and charges of 7% for most areas, including:
The budget proposals include over £4 million in reserves or grant funding allocated to fund a list of one-off investment in projects across the district, including:
Most of these proposals will be subject to the development of full business cases, which will be presented to Cabinet or Council.
Budget options were seen formally by councillors at Corporate Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 4 January 2024, before Cabinet considered the draft budget on Tuesday 9 January 2024 ahead of public consultation.
The public consultation on the budget proposals opens on Wednesday 10 January 2024 and will close on Tuesday 23 January 2024.
Cabinet will consider the consultation responses on Tuesday 30 January before a final decision on the budget is made by Council on Thursday 22 February 2024.
Councillor Nick Rushton, Corporate Portfolio Holder for NWLDC, said: “After years of good and sound financial management, we’re pleased that we’re able to balance the budget this year. We will not be going bankrupt any time soon, I would like to reassure the public and staff that we are a world away from that point, despite significant pressures that are out of our control, from inflation, the cost of providing services and unknown changes to our income in the future.
“The main money-saving changes we’re proposing – namely an increase in our portion of the council tax bill and an increase in what we charge for some services – will go some way to closing the gap in our budget that we’re predicting from next year. At the same time, we’re suggesting that one-off money we do have – from reserves and grant funding – is used to invest in our communities and services for future years.
“It’s important that local people have their say on these proposals as how we spend our money affects people living and working in our district. I would encourage people to have a look at the paperwork detailing our proposals and take the time to give us feedback.”
*£4.36 relates to the increase for a Band D property. 70% of all properties in North West Leicestershire are Bands A – D, meaning the majority of properties will receive this level of increase or less.
This figure does not include the other portions of the council tax bill, which are allocated to Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, special expense areas and town and parish councils.
Five large trees in Coalville Park – including some that have been there since the park first opened – are sadly being felled due to disease.
Tree specialists have advised North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) that four oak trees and one beech tree are diseased and are at risk of falling.
To make sure visitors to the park are kept safe, the trees will be felled over the coming weeks. This will also ensure the disease affecting the trees doesn’t spread to other healthy trees in the park.
The trees will be replaced with three oaks, a copper beech and a rowan in March this year, along with additional planting of fruit trees in the sensory garden and in the field at the rear the park.
As a landowner responsible for maintaining a large number of trees, we have qualified arborists and tree officers who work for us. They use QTRA assessments as standard.Teams working in the park have been monitoring the condition of these trees for a number of years, after visible signs of decay were noted.While work to some of the trees has been completed in previous years, including crown reduction, it is no longer safe for the trees to remain.You can
read our most recent tree inspection reports online.
If you read the report you will see that there are five low risk findings that relate to three trees (014, 015 and 017) in the list of 24 findings.The risk level is calculated by the size of limb / piece that could fall and from what height, the likelihood of it falling and what it’ll fall on people, cars etc.Number 014 Oak has a stem cavity at the root plate (where the trunk reaches the ground) this has been classed as low risk. This is because on its own a hole isn’t a threat to anyone or anything, it’s what it represents that matters. The presence of a cavity suggests that there’s probably decay of the heartwood running up into the stem. Heartwood rot will make the tree more susceptible to snapping as it becomes fragile due to the removal of the cellulose.Again, the same with the chicken in the woods fungus on its own is harmless but it what it represents is what matters as it’s also classed as a heartwood rot the tree will become susceptible to snapping (as above).
An independent bat assessment has also been completed and confirms there are no bats in the trees. A report will be published when it is available.
The trees will be removed once felled to reduce the chance of the disease spreading to others in the park. We will assess the timber, and hopefully be able to salvage some for a future project.
To reduce the chance of damage to the newly-planted trees, tree guards will be installed around the trees and anti-vandal paint will be used. Extra CCTV will be installed in the park to provide greater coverage of the area.
Depending on the condition of the wood, the timber from the felled trees will be stored until a use can be found for them at a future date, with ideas including sculptures for the park.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, Portfolio Holder for Community Services at NWLDC, said: “It’s saddened everyone who manages our parks that these trees need to come down. In a formal park like Coalville Park large trees like these are a significant part of the space.
“We won’t know until the trees are felled what the condition of the wood is. Once the trees are down, the trunks will be assessed for their suitability to become part of a future project. We’ll store any suitable wood and will look into potentially using the timber for sculpture or another use that with bring something positive to the park or other spaces in the future.”
Two pupils from Moira have been presented brand new bikes after winning a festive design competition.
James (year 1) and Lilly-Rose (year 5) both designed Christmas cards for the Safer North West Leicestershire Partnership and were crowned winners of the Celebrate Safely Christmas card competition. As well as receiving brand-new bikes with helmets, they will also have their card designs distributed across the district.
These budding artists were among 193 students that entered the competition with Mabel (year 2) and Emily (year 5) both being runners up and receiving family passes for Conkers. All students that participated also received a selection box, wrapped by the cadets, to take home and enjoy.
Officers from Leicestershire Police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue were the judges and chose the two winning designs to feature on the police’s Christmas card lists.
Councillor Michael Wyatt, Chair of the Safer North West Leicestershire Partnership, said: “We’ve held this competition for a number of years and has always been successful. It’s important for students to understand how important safety is at Christmas time as well as being able to find their creative flair.
“Thank you to every student that entered, it’s great to know there are so many talented local young artists.”
Voting is now closed for best dressed window, Coalville illuminations and where’s the elf? In North West Leicestershire District Council’s (NWLDC) annual Christmas competitions.
Best dressed window
Following YMCA winning the Chairman’s choice award, the public have been voting for their favourite window.
The public have voted for The Attic as the winner with Elizabeth Grace and YMCA both receiving highly commended as runners up. This year, The Attic went with a traditional festive window that included the Nativity.
Some of the comments made by voters:
The Attic – “Captures the spirit of traditional Christmas and beautifully presented/Shows the meaning of Christmas.”
Elizabeth Grace – “A real Christmas feel love the penguins and a pretty display with delicate ice lights. Lots of effort and love the penguins.”
YMCA – “Beautiful display which changes daily / Makes me smile and adds a touch of joy to my day every time I see it.”
Coalville illuminations
New for 2023, people were able to vote for their favourite window that best illuminates the evening Coalville streets.
Elziabeth Grace received the most public votes and is the winner of the new Coalville Illuminations award 2023 with their Festive Penguins display. YMCA and Sinclair Estate Agents both received highly commended as runners up.
Voters’ comments:
Elizabeth Grace– “Love the way the lights are making the most of the window display. It has a real festive feel.”
YMCA – “Love the snowmen, the snowfall is a delight! / We loved the different range of lighting - even the floor is lit. It looks beautiful.”
Sinclair Estate Agent - “Very bright and fantastic light’s especially in the dark / Looks festive and wintery love the blue!”
Where’s the elf?
To encourage people to explore the town centre, 38 cheeky elves were placed in various shop displays around the town in this year’s where’s the elf competition.
People have been searching for them and entering our competition in their hopes to win local shopping vouchers.
The winners have been chosen at random and have been contacted directly to arrange delivery.
Councillor Ray Morris, Chairman of NWLDC, said: “Thank you to all the businesses for taking part in the best dressed window competitions and to everyone who has shown their support.
“It has been a pleasure awarding businesses their prizes and to see how much hard work people have put in.
“It has, once again, transformed Coalville into picturesque Christmas town and I am looking forward to next year’s entries.”
Friday 22 December is known by some as ‘Mad Friday’ - a day when people finish work for the Christmas holidays and head out to celebrate. It’s also a day when people drink too much, don’t plan ahead and put themselves at risk.
To help keep people safe, the Safer North West Partnership is asking people to plan ahead and look after each other whilst out celebrating. 25Eight Medical services will also be on-hand between 9pm – 4am to deal with minor injuries and help prevent people from going to hospital unnecessarily.
The Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is working with pubs, clubs, and takeaways to create safer spaces for fun nights out. Anyone who is on a night out can do their bit by:
• Being patient while security staff search people and check ID
• Looking out for people and reporting suspicious behaviour to bar staff, security and police officers
• Not leaving drinks unattended
• Checking you and your friends have a plan to get home safe
• Making sure you have enough money to get home
• Staying with friends and letting each other know where you are and who you’re with
• Keeping hydrated with water and soft drinks so you do not get too drunk and keep in control of yourself
• Only using a reputable taxi firm or prebooked private hires so you know you’re insured and drivers are trained/vetted – pre-book your return journey to save hanging around at night after the pubs/clubs have closed (this is when you will be most vulnerable).
Councillor Michael Wyatt, Chair of the Safer North West Partnership, said: “This time of year sees the number of party-goers visiting pubs and clubs swelling, and with that comes an element of risk to personal safety and a strain on the emergency services.
“The Safer North West Partnership is here to help and you will see the police, and medical professionals out in force in and around Ashby de la Zouch. The town is the main nightlife hotspot in the district so we decided to focus our efforts there.
“We know it’s a time of year for high-spirits and parties and we don’t want to stop this; however we would urge everyone to be sensible, plan ahead and be aware of yourself, your belongings and how much you drink.
“Keeping you and others around you safe on a night out is our top priority. We want you to enjoy your night and return home safely after.”
For more information on staying safe over the festive period: www.drinkaware.co.uk .
Local businesses and organisations will be able to advertise with North West Leicestershire District Council (NWDLC) more easily, with the introduction of an advertising and sponsorship policy approved by Cabinet last night (Tuesday 12 December).
Whilst advertising and sponsorship has been possible on an ad hoc basic (e.g. sponsorship of the planting for Coalville in Bloom, sponsorship of the Let’s Get Moving Awards), the council has now set a procedure that streamlines the process.
With financial pressures revealing a gap in the council’s budget from next year, NWLDC is looking at ways of increasing its income, whilst driving efficiencies and reducing the costs of its services.
As well as making it easier for the authority to draw an income from advertising and sponsorship, the policy protects the council’s reputation, by setting out who can and can’t advertise. For example, businesses or organisations that are being investigated by the council would not be allowed to advertise.
Certain industries will not be able to advertise with the council, including:
Councillor Tony Gillard, Portfolio Holder for Business and Regeneration at NWLDC, said: “In these times of financial pressure, people should expect us to look at any way to increase our income, so we can continue to invest in local services.
“This policy doesn’t mean we’re going on the hunt for advertising to prop up our services, only that we have a set policy in place to support this if we get the opportunity.
“The way I see it, it works well for everyone involved. Reputable local businesses can advertise with a trusted organisation and we get some additional revenue. With vehicles travelling around the district, buildings dotted around, bins, events, campaigns and initiatives, there are lots of opportunities for local businesses to get their names out there with us.”
NWLDC budget pressures