The Cabinet of North West Leicestershire Council is scheduled to convene on Tuesday 22 September 2026. The meeting's agenda includes updates on the council's financial position for both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account, as well as discussions on regeneration projects in Coalville and Ashby, and the future of local plan development.

General Fund Finance Update - 2026/27 Quarter 1

Councillor Keith Merrie MBE, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, will present the General Fund Finance Update for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. The report outlines the forecasted outturn for the year based on information available as of 30 June 2026. It details the net cost of services, corporate items and financing, and contributions to and from balances and reserves. The report indicates a forecast surplus in investment interest income of £0.638m, primarily due to prudent budgeting and investment in higher-yielding Money Market Funds. Virements from the contingency budget for planning and maternity cover are also detailed. The savings programme for 2026/27, totalling £1.251m, is reviewed, with £0.258m achieved, £0.674m on track, and £0.320m at risk. The report also provides a summary of usable reserves as at 31 March 2027, with a total forecast balance of £18,083,000. The capital programme is also reviewed, with a revised budget of £33.994m and a forecast outturn of £17.583m, with £16.412m reprofiled to 2027/28. Significant schemes include the Marlborough Centre renovation and Moira Furnace Phase 2 works. Treasury management figures and special expenses for Coalville, Hugglescote, and Whitwick are also presented.

Housing Revenue Account Finance Update - 2026/27 Quarter 1

Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, will present the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Finance Update for the first quarter of 2026/27. The report highlights a forecasted operating expenditure pressure of £0.700m on the HRA, partially offset by an income surplus of £0.295m from favourable interest rates. The expenditure pressures are primarily in repairs and maintenance, including stock repairs, compensation payments, heating repairs, and asbestos repairs. Measures to mitigate these pressures include reviewing the capitalisation of costs, monthly budget monitoring meetings, close monitoring of responsive repairs expenditure, and ensuring Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund expenditure is correctly coded. The HRA is projected to hold usable reserves of £20.169m by 31 March 2027, with a significant portion allocated to Right to Buy capital receipts for future housing development. The HRA capital programme has a revised budget of £28.130m for 2026/27, with a forecast outturn of £22.992m and £5.139m reprofiled to 2027/28.

Minutes of the Coalville Special Expenses Working Party - 18 August 2026

Councillor Tony Gillard, Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, will present the minutes from the Coalville Special Expenses Working Party meeting held on 18 August 2026. The working party, comprising ward members from the Coalville Special Expenses Area, meets to consider budget and financial issues affecting the area and make recommendations to Cabinet. The minutes from this meeting note discussions on the 2025/26 provisional outturn and the 2026/27 Quarter 1 finance updates for Coalville Special Expenses, as well as an events update for 2026/27. No specific recommendations were made by the working party to Cabinet in this instance.

Ashby Business Improvement District

Councillor Tony Gillard, Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, will present a report on the Ashby Business Improvement District (BID). The report informs Cabinet of the Ashby BID reballot and its implications for the Council. If successful, the Ashby BID renewal period will be from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032, with a levy set at 2.5% of rateable value for properties above £12,000, and a flat rate of £150 for those between £5,000 and £11,999. The Council, as a levy payer, will contribute an estimated £2,426.25 per annum. The report outlines the proposed activities for the BID, including street rangers, crime monitoring, enhanced street cleaning, trade waste management, car parking initiatives, floral displays, Christmas lights, business grants, and a town masterplan. The Council's role in managing the ballot process, which will be outsourced to Civica Election Services, is also detailed. Cabinet is asked to review the proposals and delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Business and Regeneration Portfolio Holder, to cast the Council's five votes in support of the BID.

Marlborough Centre Regeneration – Delegation to Award Contracts

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of the Council, will present a report on the Marlborough Centre Regeneration project. The project, part of the Coalville Regeneration Framework, aims to convert the upper floors of the building into residential units and restore the external façade, with shop front improvements for ground floor retail units. Following a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) with Lindum Group, the report seeks delegated authority for the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Monitoring Officer, and S151 Officer, to award enabling works and fit-out works contracts. The estimated cost of the enabling works is £500,000, with the fit-out works cost expected in November. The project is intended to be delivered before Local Government Reorganisation takes effect, necessitating an accelerated approach to contract awards.

Consultancy Services for the Local Plan

Councillor Keith Merrie MBE, Acting Infrastructure Portfolio Holder, will present a report requesting an exemption from the Council's standard procurement rules for consultancy services related to the Local Plan. Due to the retirement of the Planning Policy and Land Charges Manager and difficulties in recruitment, the Council previously contracted with Hyas for Phase 1 support. This report seeks approval to contract Hyas for Phase 2 services to take the Local Plan through examination and adoption. The total cost for both phases will be £156,000, to be met by salary savings from a vacant post and a government grant. The report argues that Hyas's existing knowledge, experience, and relationships are essential for timely submission and examination of the Local Plan, thus achieving cost and efficiency savings. Failure to submit the Regulation 19 Plan by December 2026 would leave the Council vulnerable to development proposals.

Allocation of Resources for Corporate Landlord Function

Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder, will present a proposal for the allocation of additional staffing resources to the Property Services team to support the implementation of the Corporate Landlord Model. This model aims to standardise property management, improve governance, and strengthen compliance across Council-owned assets. The proposal includes the creation of two new posts: a Facilities Officer (Grade E) and a Premises Officer (Grade D). The estimated cost for 2026/27 is £42,774, to be funded from the Council's Contingency Budget, with future years' funding to be included in the 2027/28 budget proposals. These posts will support operational facilities management, compliance monitoring, contractor management, and routine site checks.

Acquisitions and Disposal - Offer for the Purchase of 17 Ashby Road Moira.

This item is scheduled for discussion but is likely to contain exempt information, meaning the public may be excluded from this part of the meeting. The report relates to an offer for the purchase of a property at 17 Ashby Road, Moira.

Housing Contracts - HIP Support Contractor

This item is scheduled for discussion but is likely to contain exempt information. The report concerns housing contracts, specifically the HIP Support Contractor.

Exclusion of Press and Public

The Cabinet will consider excluding the press and public from the meeting for certain agenda items, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972. This is due to the likelihood of disclosure of exempt or confidential information, where the public interest in maintaining the exemption is considered to outweigh the public interest in disclosure.

Acquisitions and Disposal - Offer for the Purchase of 17 Ashby Road Moira.

This item is scheduled for discussion but is likely to contain exempt information, meaning the public may be excluded from this part of the meeting. The report relates to an offer for the purchase of a property at 17 Ashby Road, Moira.

Housing Contracts - HIP Support Contractor

This item is scheduled for discussion but is likely to contain exempt information. The report concerns housing contracts, specifically the HIP Support Contractor.