We are back to business after our summer recess, and I have a full month of meetings. The main focus over the next couple of months will be our budget and the budget deficits, which is forecasted to be £100m at the end of the next four years.
We are waiting for the Chancellor’s budget on 30th October to be able to fully understand what pressure we will be under, but our actual budget settlement figure from the government will not be provided to us until just before Christmas.
I was invited down to Parliament by our MP, Peter Bedford, on Wednesday 4th September. I was able to sit in the public gallery in the House of Commons (HoC) and watch the Prime Minister’s Question Time. I also had a tour of the Palace of Westminster, a visit to Peter’s office to meet some of his staff, and an enjoyable lunch in Stranger’s restaurant.
It was a very enjoyable day, and I was in awe to see the tradition we uphold in the HoC to this day, some may say it is archaic, but it felt very British to me.
I have continued to meet with some of Leicestershire's MPs and there are more meetings in my diary for the future.
Just to add some personal news. I will be taking a period away from my desk. My daughter is due to give birth to her first child in mid-October, so I will be supporting her for a while. She lives in Manchester, so I will be basing myself up there to be with her after she gives birth, so there may be a slower response to emails over the next month or so.
Battery Recycling Campaign
I am raising awareness of the campaign we have launched to help reduce the risk of serious fires by encouraging battery recycling.
Always recycle batteries and electrical items separately from other types of waste.
Batteries and unwanted electrical items should not go into kerbside recycling collections, unless there is a dedicated separate kerbside collection service for these items – please check with your local district council.
You’ll find suitable recycling points near you at https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/.
You can also recycle your batteries and electrical items at Recycling and Household Waste Sites across Leicestershire.
More and more everyday items such as children’s toys, wireless headphones, mobile phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and disposable vapes contain non-removable batteries. These batteries can become crushed or damaged in bin lorries or waste sites if they are not recycled appropriately and can lead to hazardous, environmentally harmful fires that cause costly damage and disruption to waste systems and infrastructure.
They can lead to explosions and chemical exposure. Once ablaze these batteries can keep reigniting; prolonging incidents with smoke and fumes affecting the air quality of neighbouring areas and communities, sometimes for long periods of time.
Waste site changes
There have been changes to the opening days of some recycling and household waste sites (RHWS) in Leicestershire will come into effect from the first week of October.
From the week beginning 30th September, the following changes to waste site arrangements will take place:
- Somerby RHWS will close permanently
- Market Harborough RHWS will open three days a week
- Shepshed RHWS will open two days a week
- Kibworth RHWS will open four days a week.
The sites at Coalville, Lount and Melton Mowbray will be open for the same number of days per week, but their opening days will change. Visitors to all sites are being urged to check the council’s RHWS website for the updated opening days and times before setting out for a waste site.
All the RHWS have also moved to their winter opening hours.
All details can be found at www.leicestershire.gov.uk/waste.
School Admissions
Parents and carers with children due to start primary or secondary school for the first time in Leicestershire next year (autumn 2025) can apply for their school place from Monday 1st September 2025.
Applications for children moving from primary to secondary school must be made by 31st October 2024, whilst first-time primary applications and transfers between infant and junior schools need to be made by 15th January 2025.
Applications for 2025/26 can be made at leicestershire.gov.uk/admissions where there is also information about county schools and hints and tips on applying.
Childcare
From Monday 1st September, eligible working parents with children aged 9 months and over can access 15 hours of childcare. New wraparound places are also available to parents with primary school aged children, giving them access to provision from 8am to 6pm.
Free play sessions
Free sessions including messy play, language workshops and sensory fun are being held around Leicestershire’s Family hub centres.
Parents and carers of 0-2 year-olds are being welcomed with their little ones, and their pre-school age siblings, to the events which will take place between 2nd September -18th December 2025 across the county.
The bookable sessions have been organised as part of Leicestershire County council’s Family Hubs ‘Start for Life Initiative’, which helps to give parents and carers a deeper understanding of how they can aid their child’s development through simple and fun activities.
Booking is open now for the free sessions, taking place at family hubs across Leicestershire, find out more and book a place at a family hub: https://www.familyhubsleicestershire.org.uk/
