You said, we did

Date: 7 November - 20 December 2023

We asked

Leicestershire County Council continues to face its biggest ever financial challenge.

In 2014, the council consulted widely about the future of library services in Leicestershire. Following the consultation, the council agreed in November 2014 that the new library service model would be based on:

• 16 libraries fully funded by the county council
• An infrastructure support package to enable community groups to manage community libraries with county council help
• A mobile library service which will provide a regular library service to most villages without a static library
• An online library service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to those with access to the internet

Ibstock Library was one of the 36 libraries that we invited community groups to come forward to manage with our support. In 2019, we transferred the management of the library to Ibstock Community Managed Library Group (ICMLG).

ICMLG has given us notice that they are no longer able to manage Ibstock Library.

Following the notice being served, and considering the financial challenges facing the council, we invited interested groups or individuals to submit an expression of interest for running Ibstock Community Managed Library. Alongside this, we consulted on proposals to change the way we provide library services in Ibstock should there be no interest or no viable plans to run the library.

What happens next

The consultation and expression of interest period has now closed.

Your feedback on the proposals and any submitted expressions of interest will now be reviewed before being presented to Cabinet in early 2024. 
 

Date: 23 October - 5 December 2023

We asked

There is a statutory requirement for all admitting authorities to run a public consultation when seeking to make changes to School Admissions Policy and co-ordinates schemes and arrangements.

Information consisted of a webpage and an online survey. The engagement was advertised on our website. Paper copies were available on request.

As required a 6-week consultation on changing the following:

1. Expansion of a school catchment area
2. Increase school preferences from 3 to 5
3. Change in how places will be determined 
4. Reduction of admission numbers at 4 LA schools
5. And several amendments to the admissions policy to offer greater clarity

You said

50 responses were received of which the majority were from parents.

Of 1, 2,3,4, and 5 above the majority in agreement, expressed a neutral or ‘don’t know’ view.

No score had a majority that objected to a proposal.

We did

The response will be taken to cabinet for ratification, after which they will implemented. We will monitor to make sure the changes have had a positive outcome.

Date: 16 October - 30 November 2023

We asked

Following the government’s allocation of funding for electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, we launched a countywide electric vehicle survey and interactive chargepoint map.

The survey and interactive chargepoint map provided an opportunity for current and future EV owners to tell us about their charging habits and their potential charging concerns and suggest locations in Leicestershire where they would like to see a public chargepoint installed.

You said

This engagement has closed. We received 540 responses to the survey and 548 potential chargepoint locations were identified by respondents within Leicestershire:

• Home charging was identified as the most popular form of chargepoint provision. However, if home charging wasn't an option, respondents identified on-street chargepoints as the most popular form of charging provision.
• Respondents reported the most important features for a chargepoint to possess were:
  • accessibility
  • reliability
  • ease of payment
  • competitively priced
• The primary barriers to owning an EV were identified as:
  • the cost of the vehicle
  • the lack of local chargepoints
  • concerns about using chargepoints
• 301 of the residents suggested chargepoint locations were at privately owned destinations such as supermarkets, leisure, shopping centres etc. 147 of suggested locations were located in on-street residential locations.

Thank you to all who took the time to complete the survey and identify potential chargepoint locations across the county.

Your feedback on the proposals will now be reviewed, which will provide us with a better understanding of the demand for on-street chargepoints and charging requirements. 

We did

Feedback from the survey is being used to steer the development of our EV Charging Strategy. Suggestions for chargepoint locations will feed into our future chargepoint delivery plans for the full LEVI project where these align with the LEVI funding criteria and the scope of our emerging Strategy.

We will update this page at a later date with more information and it is likely there will be further opportunities to provide feedback and any planned chargepoint locations in the future.

Date: 20 September - 1 November 2023

We asked

Leicestershire County Council has a duty to improve the health of its residents.  In Leicestershire, 1 in 4 adults (21-26%) do less than 30 minutes of physical activity per week (are inactive) and research shows that inactive individuals can make substantial improvements to their health by becoming active.  Being active reduces the risk of and helps with the management of many common diseases, supports positive mental wellbeing and provides opportunities for social connections.

The council is facing financial challenges and needs to make difficult decisions regarding the services provided. A saving of £250,000 from the current physical activity budget of £693,000 was proposed as part of our budget plans.

From 20 September to 1 November 2023, we asked people to have their say on proposed changes to our physical activity programmes in Leicestershire.

The proposals consulted on were: 

For Public Health funding to target those that are most likely to be inactive or have long term health conditions, as this is the key priority.

This will include:

• Physical activity programmes that target those experiencing the highest levels of ill health, including those aimed at preventing falls in older adults, improving recovery from cancer surgery and recovery from heart or lung conditions.
• Physical activity programmes targeted at adults with an existing health condition including helping people to lose weight, helping people with chronic pain and supervised activity programmes for people who are inactive and have a health condition.
• Physical activity programmes targeted at children to improve basic movement skills and support those with existing health conditions. Examples include physical activity for children that need support to lose weight and programmes that help children develop core skills such as catching a ball, skipping, hopping and core strength.
• Physical activity programmes to target and support the inactive population to become more active such as walking and running groups, and delivering marketing, campaigns and giving information and advice

For Public Health funding to no longer contribute towards:

• Physical activity programmes delivered in the community which are aimed at the general population who are already active and those without a health condition.
• Physical activity programmes already costed into existing contracts with providers.
• The physical activity graduate trainee programme, which provides graduates with training opportunities in the physical activity sector.
• Physical activity programmes that are delivered in schools that target children and young people who are already active.

It is important to note that the public health funding is not the only funding to support physical activity and does not fund the whole physical activity offer across Leicestershire.

You said

The consultation closed on 1 November 2023. Over 320 people across Leicestershire responded to the consultation.

We did 

After the consultation closed, your feedback was reviewed and we reported the results to the council’s Cabinet on 19 December 2023. 

The proposals have been approved and we will work collaboratively with district and borough councils, school sport and physical activity networks and other key stakeholders to ensure that a targeted offer is developed for those who are inactive and / or have long-term health conditions. 

Alongside this, we will support programmes aimed at a wide audience, brief advice and signposting for self-help to encourage more people to move more.   

We will also continue to work with partners of physical activity programmes on a joined-up approach and continue with our work on creating healthy, more active environments and to support active travel initiatives.  
 

Date: 26 September - 24 October 2023

We asked

Following the adoption of our Cycling and Walking Strategy and Action Plan in 2021, we're now in the process of developing LCWIPs for areas surrounding Leicester city, in addition to supporting district councils who choose to develop LCWIPs for other areas.

What happens next

Your views will help develop an attractive and joined-up cycling and walking network in Leicestershire.

Date: 15 August - 12 September 2023

We asked

All of us travel. Whether to get to work, school, shopping or for leisure, travel is a central part of our daily lives. Much of this travel is by private car, but here in Leicestershire there is great potential for a better future that supports people to cycle and walk for more of their journeys, improving our physical and mental health, minimising negative impacts on the environment, and reducing traffic congestion.

Following the adoption of our Cycling and Walking Strategy and Action Plan in 2021, we're now in the process of developing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) for county towns and the urban areas surrounding Leicester city.

In practical terms, LCWIPs are long term infrastructure plans to create cycling, walking and wheeling networks that help to encourage and enable our communities to travel more actively for life. The plans will be used to secure funding for delivery of improvements. They will evolve over time to reflect new routes and priorities as schemes are delivered and changes in communities occur such as new planned homes, shops, schools, and leisure sites.

The Loughborough Area and South of Leicester Area LCWIP are the first of these plans to be developed.

Engagement has formed an important part of helping shape these LCWIPs during their development. Last year we asked you to provide your feedback on the early draft cycling, walking and wheeling networks for these two areas. 

You said

You wanted:

• More cycling, walking and wheeling spaces with routes that are separate from other ways of travelling and protected by physical infrastructure 
• New and improved cycling, walking and wheeling routes 
• Better and wider connected cycling, walking and wheeling networks  
• Clearer continuous routes with better signage 
• More cycle parking 
• New and improved crossings and junctions prioritising cycling, walking and wheeling 

We did

We have used this feedback received to help develop plans that set out the priority cycling, walking and wheeling routes for improvement going forward, and also show some potential concept ideas of how routes could be improved to the latest high quality design standards.

These concept ideas are just the start of the process to design and ultimately deliver improvement schemes on the network, with further local public engagement feedback being a key part of the ongoing process.

Your feedback helped shape the final LCWIP documents that have now been to Cabinet for approval. The documents detail how your engagement was incorporated.

Frequently asked questions

Other information

An executive summary and associated evidence documents can be found at Adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans.

LCWIPs will be reviewed 3, 5, and 10 years after publication.

Date: 4 September - 16 October 2023

We asked

We are considering applying for new enforcement powers to improve safety and reduce congestion on the roads. These powers will allow us to enforce moving traffic contraventions such as driving through a No Entry sign, making banned turns, entering yellow box junctions when the exit is not clear, and driving where motor vehicles are prohibited, such as in pedestrianised town centres.

Currently, only the police can enforce these contraventions, but recent changes in legislation now allow local authorities outside of London to apply to do so also. As part of the application process, we must demonstrate where and how the powers would be used if approved.

We are interested in these powers because nationally there has been success using cameras to enforce these contraventions. By ensuring that the restrictions are clearly marked, and the presence of cameras is indicated by information signs, this has led to considerable reductions in contraventions and improvements to road safety.

We have identified two initial locations for camera enforcement, and these are:

• the junction of Cloverfield and the A47 Normandy Way, Hinckley.
• the junction of Cornfield and the A47 Normandy Way, Hinckley.

What happens next?

All responses will be acknowledged and reported to the Lead Member for Highways, Transportation and Flooding before a decision is made on applying for the powers from the Department for Transport.

If the application is successful and the powers are granted, we will announce the start date for enforcement and issue warning notices in compliance with the legislation.

Date: 17 July - 22 September 2023

We asked

The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Dementia Programme Board launched a consultation from Monday 17 July to Friday 22 September 2023 to invite residents and stakeholders to have their say on the revised Living Well with Dementia Strategy 2024-2028

We asked residents for their thoughts on the strategy, which sets out the ambition to support people to live well with dementia.

Key priorities were identified to support people affected by dementia specifically those with memory concerns, those with a dementia diagnosis, their families and carers and the organisations supporting them. 

You said

Over 200 people across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland responded to the consultation and your feedback will now be reviewed and be used to develop our detailed action plans which will support this strategy. 

What happens next?

A report detailing the consultation feedback will be brought back to the council’s Cabinet later this year for a decision before any changes are implemented.

Date: 6 July - 3 August 2023

We asked

We launched a consultation in summer 2023 to ask people their views on a proposal to dim the streetlights to 30% between the hours of 8pm and 10pm. We explained that the two main benefits of this move were environmental and financial, we could save £500k per year and 315 tonnes in CO2e.

The council is committed to becoming a net zero authority by 2030. Net Zero refers to the point when greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere are balanced with their removal so that there is no overall addition to atmospheric levels.

This brings benefits of reduced carbon emissions and light pollution, less energy consumption, and reduced energy costs for the Council. The authority also needs to make significant financial savings over the next four years.

We asked people their views of this proposal via an online survey (paper copies were available upon request) and invited them to highlight areas of concern, using the mapping function on the online platform Social Pinpoint.

You said

Just over 700 people responded to the survey. There were mixed views on the proposed changes. Just over half of the respondents were not in support of the proposal. This was due to fear of crime and personal safety. Those in agreement with the proposal welcomed the positive environmental impacts.

A total of 61 areas of concern were mapped using Social Pinpoint, and a further ninety-nine locations were identified. These included specific roads, junctions, or in some cases, specific towns, or villages. These points enabled a full risk assessment to be conducted by officers. 
 
The emergency services, including Leicestershire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, all responded saying that they had no objections to the proposal. Loughborough University also said that they had no objections.

We did

A full risk assessment has now been conducted by officers who confirmed that there should be six key exemptions. These are situations where, for safety reasons, the lights will remain at their current lighting intensity and regime between 8pm and 10pm. See Cabinet report for further details. 
 
These exemptions mean that the Council now anticipates energy savings to be reduced to 261.8 tonnes in CO2e and £380k per year. This is less than what was originally expected at the time of the consultation, (315 tonnes in CO2e and £500k per year). 
 
Officers recommended that changes should be trialled for 18 months. This would allow work with the police and other emergency services to understand if there are any consequences in relation to crime, the fear of crime or serious accidents. There would be a report back to Scrutiny and Cabinet at the end of the pilot scheme before any decision is made on this becoming permanent. 
 
Cabinet considered the recommendations on 19 December 2023. They noted the outcome of the public consultation, approved the proposal to trial the scheme and gave delegated authority to the director of environment and transport to make any required alterations following feedback from the Leicestershire Police and other emergency services.

Things to be aware of during the pilot

Street lighting will still be provided at a reduced level, and crime rates may not be affected by the changes. We will continue to work closely with the police around any concerns which people may have. 

If you have a specific concern about crime that is related to street lighting provision, please contact the council. You can use our Report it form to tell us more about the specific location and details. 
 
If you have general concerns about crime, you can find out how to report this to the police on their website at leics.police.uk
 
During the winter, the council will be running a safety campaign to remind people how to stay safe and visible on darker nights. People using the highways need to continue to take individual due care and attention when using highways and pavements. 

If you have a specific concern about accidents related to street lighting provision, please contact the council. You can use our Report it form to tell us more about the specific location and details.

Date: 28 June - 3 September 2023

We asked

Like councils across the country, we are facing growing financial pressure alongside increasing demand, so we need to look at providing services in a different way.

The current contract for homelessness support services ends in March 2024.

Following a review of the current service, and the financial challenges facing the council, we consulted on proposals to change the way we provide support to individuals who are facing homelessness or who are homeless.

The proposal was for the council to stop funding a dedicated homeless support service, and instead to provide support through the council’s existing public health services, where a wider number of people are eligible for support.

Supporting documents

Supporting documents that were part of the consultation (note: some sections are no longer applicable, as the consultation has now closed)

Cabinet Report 23 June 2023 Part A: Review of Homeless Support Services. Report of the Director of Public Health.

What happens next

The results of the consultation were discussed by the Council’s Cabinet in November 2023.

Cabinet Report 24 November 2023 Review of Homeless Support Services – Outcome of Consultation. Report of the Director of Public Health. 

You can watch a recording of the Cabinet meeting - 24 November 2023 (YouTube). 

Cabinet approved the proposal which means that the current contract for homeless support will come to its natural end on 31 March 2024 and the focus will shift to broadening our care for people at risk of homelessness, making sure our support is available county-wide through: 

• widening eligibility to anyone who is at risk of becoming homeless 
• providing access to support from a central point  
• providing a greater focus on the health and wellbeing of individuals 
• working with key stakeholders to strengthen the pathways into support services 

 
This will be achieved primarily through the First Contact Plus and Local Area Coordination services. 

Full details of the council’s cabinet decision - 24 November 2023.

Date: 5 June - 13 August 2023

We asked

The Council asked for views on the updated Strategy from a variety of stakeholders including the public other risk management authorities, council officers, elected members and flood wardens.

Through an online survey, the Council also sought to understand current awareness of flood risk management, and of how flooding has affected communities.

The consultation lasted 10 weeks. Further details are provided in Appendix A (below).

You said

The public survey received 254 responses. There was strong agreement with the principles and proposed objectives and action plan. There were also some concerns raised. These concerns are addressed in Appendix A (below).

Included within the comments of respondents was a range of local information. Where possible, an enquiry was logged for further investigation, particularly where a respondent had left contact information.

We did

There were several key findings from the consultation which are outlined in further detail in Appendix A. Key changes made to the Strategy included:

• Mention of specific communities: some respondents expressed concern their community had not been referenced directly in the Strategy.  Additional text was added to better explain that the Strategy is ‘strategic’ in nature, that all non-location specific measures are applicable to most communities, and that the Strategy should be read in this way.
• Roles, responsibilities and partnerships: further explanation of how risk management authorities work together was provided. A new diagram was added to demonstrate how many different agencies may have roles in any given location.
• Risk-based approach principle: several respondents commented on the ‘risk-based approach’. It was clear from the comments that the meaning of this principle had been misunderstood on occasion. The definition of the ‘risk-based approach’ was therefore clarified.

Date: 20 February 2023 - 26 March 2023

We asked

We’re proposing to transfer part of the route of the Ashby Canal to the Ashby Canal Association (ACA) and welcome suggestions on any alternative ways the council could pursue the restoration of the canal.

We previously carried out a consultation in June 2019 and now that we are getting ready to transfer part of the Ashby Canal to the ACA, we would like to hear your views 

Leicestershire County Council has led on the restoration of the Ashby Canal since 1994, including the purchase of land for that purpose, under a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO). 

The council remains committed to restoration of the canal but is unable to progress as quickly as stakeholders would like, owing to lack of resources.

The next section of canal identified for potential restoration is between Snarestone and Measham.  The council are considering transferring the ownership and the obligations and responsibilities under the TWAO in seeking to restore this section to the Ashby Canal Association. 

The use of the land would be restricted to the building of a canal. The council would retain the ownership of the other sections of canal, as shown on the map below.

You can find out more about the charity on the Ashby Canal Association website. 

What happens next

The consultation closed in March, we’ll analyse the results and share them later in 2023. 

Date: 16 January - 12 March 2023

Sexual health services for Leicestershire and Rutland comprise of the Integrated Sexual Health Service (ISHS) and Community Based Services (CBS).

We asked

The Integrated Sexual Health Service (ISHS) is currently jointly commissioned by Leicester City, Leicestershire County and Rutland County Councils.

This service has main clinics (hub clinics) alongside several smaller (spoke) clinics.

Hub clinics are in:

• Haymarket Centre (Leicester)
• Loughborough Health Centre  

Spoke clinics are in:

• Rutland Memorial Hospital 
• Hinckley Health Centre
• St. Luke’s Hospital (Market Harborough)
• Coalville Community Hospital. 

The service currently provides a range of services including:

• sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment  
• a specific young people’s service  
• psychosexual counselling  
• contraceptive services  

Community Based Services are commissioned individually by each authority and provide contraceptive services in communities. This may be delivered by either your GP or a local pharmacy.

Why did we consult

In Leicestershire and Rutland both the Integrated Sexual Health Service (ISHS) and Community Based Services (CBS) contracts end on 31 March 2024 meaning that Leicestershire and Rutland need to set up new contracts.

We are seeking your views on what the sexual health services should offer and how they might work. The new contracts will provide an opportunity to make changes, and ensure services better meets users’ needs.

We also need to understand how people might be affected by any proposed changes to help shape future services.

Consultation for the Leicestershire and Rutland’s Sexual Health Services was approved by Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet on 16 December 2022 and Rutland County Council’s Cabinet on 12 January 2023.  

What are the proposals?

A summary of the proposed changes is listed below:

• changes to the way the services are contracted - the plans are that Leicestershire and Rutland will work together due to their similar geographical make-up and similar needs of their populations, which differ from that of Leicester City
• hub and spoke model of sexual health clinic provision to be retained and delivered from suitable premises and to be based on need
• expand the accessibility of chlamydia screening services
• dedicated long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) (coil/implants) provision within community settings
• expand emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) provision locally

The following services will continue to be available:

• condom distribution service for under 25s 
• availability of online sexual health services
• vending machines in easy-to-access venues with condoms, STI testing kits and pregnancy testing kits available
• providing professional advice over the telephone to help you manage your sexual health better 
• increasing the availability of advice and information that is on the sexual health services website

This consultation is about sexual health services that include prevention, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and contraceptive services. These services can be used by people no matter where they live.

It does not include the HIV treatment and care services that are provided by University Hospitals of Leicester.

There will still be an open access sexual health service in Leicester City Hub, which will be contracted by Leicester City Council.

We did

We, together with Rutland Council, are pleased to announce the contract to deliver Online Sexual Health Services across Leicestershire and Rutland from 1 April 2024, has been successfully awarded to SH:24.

SH:24 are the current providers of our online services via a subcontracting agreement, and will continue to provide a comprehensive range of online STI testing and contraception options or services to people across Leicestershire and Rutland. The councils are looking forward to strengthening our relationships with this key partner under our new contract terms.

Date: 1 December 2022 – 23 February 2023

We asked

Green spaces have proven to be a lifeline in recent years. Currently Leicestershire’s parks and green spaces have a set of byelaws which were introduced in 2003. Following developments in technology and usage changes across our green spaces, we are looking to update them, and we would like to hear from you.

Local byelaws are seen as additional layer of protection that enables visitors to experience the county’s green spaces at their best while partaking in activities that they love.

In 2003, the county council approved a set of byelaws that covered all aspects of country parks, from protecting wildlife and the environment through to vehicle management and visitor activities.

The new proposals will seek to bring the byelaws up to date reflecting site usage and technology changes that have happened during the last nineteen years.

You said

Of the 71 responses received, 78% were from Leicestershire and most were visitors to Beacon Hill Country Park. 79% of respondents either tended to agree or strongly agreed with the new revised byelaws.

The main comments related to the proposal to permit rangers to introduce areas where dogs must be on a lead or dogs would be prohibited entirely. On this, respondents were split almost exactly 50/50, with comments ranging from “Dogs on leads at all times please” to “I oppose further imposition of dogs on leads policy”.

There was little disagreement with the proposal to prohibit barbecues on parks.

There was a proposal to include fungi in the list of protected wildlife, which has been accepted, along with a proposal to include protection for geology alongside flora and fauna.

Finally, there were comments around the clause on musical entertainment and this has been modified in the current draft.

We did

We modified the proposed byelaws to include fungi in the list of protected wildlife, along with a proposal to include protection for geology alongside flora and fauna. We have modified the clause on musical entertainment.

Date: 19 December 2022 - 15 January 2023

We asked

We sought views from residents, businesses, organisations and staff on what they think about our budget proposals, to help shape the final proposals.

Our budget

How much is the council’s budget?

Our budget for next year is £512m. Our income is mainly from Council Tax, as well as government grants for specific projects.

What period does the budget cover?

We publish a four-year budget plan every year, known as the medium term financial strategy. It includes areas where investment is planned to meet increased demand – known as growth – and areas earmarked for savings.

How much is spent on different services?

The chart breaks down spend and income over the next four years. The financial outlook remains extremely tough with our budget gap set to rise to over £90m by 2026.

Our budget

At a glance:

• £57m more to support vulnerable people - to pay for more home and residential care, and support people with physical disabilities, learning disabilities and mental health needs. The number of home care users has increased by 600 since January 2020.
• £59m of efficiency savings - reducing back office costs by maximising digital technology, simplifying processes and providing the right level of support to residents
• Service cuts totalling £3m - including reviewing waste sites, streetlighting, Green Plaques and Shire Grants
• A 4.99 per cent Council Tax rise for 2023/24 - this equates to £1.39 a week for a Band D home and generates £17.7m for front line services. It includes a two per cent adult social care precept
• £509m four-year capital pot - for the cost of building roads, schools and other one-off projects
• An extra £1m to reduce the impact of service cuts and boost road maintenance – including £100,000 to continue rolling out community speed cameras. This follows the budget consultation and better than expected funding from Government earlier this year. Proposals will be drawn up over the next 12 months on options for this money, following detailed consultations on specific planned savings. 

Council Tax

Find out more about how Council Tax is used to provide our services and more on the adult social care precept:

What happens next?

Following the consultation, our cabinet agreed final proposals before the budget was agreed at a meeting of the county council on 22 February 2023.

Consultations setting out more details about any specific service reductions would run before any changes are made.