The North West Leicestershire District Council met on Tuesday 15 September 2026 to discuss proposed changes to the council's constitution, review the treasury management stewardship report for the 2025/26 financial year, and consider recommendations from the Debate Not Hate Working Group. The meeting also included discussions on motions regarding local government reorganisation and the management of community assets.

Motions on Local Government Reorganisation and Community Assets

A key item scheduled for discussion was a motion proposed by Councillor M B Wyatt concerning the proposed local government reorganisation for Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The motion noted concerns about the creation of two new unitary councils, a reduction in democratic representation, and a lack of geographical and community coherence. It also acknowledged the value of devolution and proposed that the Chief Executive write to ministers regarding an ideal devolution settlement for Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire.

Another motion, put forward by Councillor T Eynon, addressed the implications of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on community assets. This motion highlighted that both Leicestershire County Council and North West Leicestershire District Council would cease to exist in April 2028. It proposed that the Council work with existing parish and town councils, representatives of unparished district wards, and officers of the County Council and Shadow Unitary Council. The motion requested that the Cabinet undertake a strategic review of all council-owned community assets in North West Leicestershire, including open spaces, community buildings, recreation areas, and car parks, and develop a Strategic Community Asset Management Plan to retain responsibility, power, and funding of these assets within local communities.

Amendments to the Constitution

The council was scheduled to consider amendments to its constitution to reflect the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026. These regulations, coming into force on 31 October 2026, introduce a new National Scheme of Delegation for determining planning applications, with a presumption towards officer determination. The report detailed how these regulations would change the process for determining planning applications, including the categorisation of applications into Schedule 1 (must be determined by officers) and Schedule 2 (presumed to be determined by officers unless a gateway test is met). The proposed amendments aimed to ensure the council's constitution complied with these new regulations, impacting how planning decisions are made and potentially reducing the number of applications referred to the Planning Committee.

Treasury Management Stewardship Report 2025/26

Councillor Keith Merrie MBE, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, presented the Treasury Management Stewardship Report for the 2025/26 financial year. This report informed the Council of its treasury management activities during that period. It detailed the council's borrowing and investment activities, including external context such as economic background and financial market performance. The report outlined the council's borrowing strategy, highlighting that it had internally borrowed £29.43m, foregoing potential interest income due to borrowing rates exceeding interest income rates. It also provided an overview of treasury investment activity, noting that the council's objective was to balance risk and return, prioritising security and liquidity. The report confirmed compliance with the CIPFA Code of Practice and relevant regulations, and presented various prudential indicators related to security, liquidity, and interest rate exposures.

Recommendations of the Debate Not Hate Working Group

The council was set to consider recommendations from the Debate Not Hate Working Group. This group was established following the Local Government Association's (LGA) campaign to address the abuse and intimidation faced by councillors. The report detailed the findings of the LGA's surveys, indicating a high prevalence of abuse experienced by councillors. The NWLDC working group had undertaken a self-assessment using the LGA's toolkit, focusing on five core principles: creating supportive and informed spaces, adopting a risk-led approach, establishing an infrastructure for support, fostering connections with the police, and creating a culture of safety and respect. The report outlined identified gaps in support and proposed actions to address these, with a recommendation for officers to commence work on these actions and for a further progress update to be provided in February 2027.

Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26

The council was presented with the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26, detailing the work undertaken by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Community Scrutiny Committee. The report provided an overview of the scrutiny function, its principles, and public involvement. It highlighted the work of the Scrutiny Work Programming Group in managing the workload of the committees. The Corporate Scrutiny Committee's activities included examining the draft budget for 2026/27, monitoring performance, reviewing the Local Government Reorganisation proposals, and considering the Customer Experience Strategy and Zero Carbon Update. The Community Scrutiny Committee's work covered topics such as Disabled Facilities Grants, the Moira Furnace Visitor Experience Improvement Programme, Stenson Square Gardens, leisure centres, and community grants. The report also noted the establishment of a Task and Finish Group focused on Water Management in the Coalville Strategic Growth Area.