Latest news with #LeicestershireCountyCouncil
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bid to dismantle Beaumanor Hall's chimneys amid safety risk
The 175-year-old chimneys of a historic hall in Leicestershire could be dismantled and stored to allow the venue to reopen to the main building of Beaumanor Hall in Woodhouse, near Loughborough, closed in April after the chimneys were found to pose a "potential risk to the public and staff" by structural Leicestershire County Council said the closure would mean disruption to weddings and receptions booked at the hall "for at least 10 weeks".The authority has now applied for planning permission to dismantle the chimneys, some of which weigh more than seven tonnes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. An application submitted to its own planning department said the "deteriorated" chimneys would be taken down to a "safe height" to allow people back into the building "at the earliest opportunity".The bricks would be "protected" in a "secured compound", the application added, with the chimneys to be restored to the "previous dimensions and arrangement" at a later date. The main building, which dates back to the 1840s, is the only part of the site shut, with school and outdoor residential stays still set to take hall has hired a marquee in the grounds for wedding ceremonies and in April it said it was "looking at alternative venues for couples with wedding receptions".The application also seeks to retain these marquees until 4 July alongside security fencing, a temporary office building, and a toilet block.
ITV News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
UK's first Reform council leader promises Leicestershire tax cuts on first day in office
The UK's first-ever Reform UK council leader said his party will be able to cut council tax as it takes aim at wasteful spending. New Leicestershire County Council leader Dan Harrison said: "To think of the journey from where we came to where we are, this is just incredible." The former Conservative county councillor who defected to Reform UK in February, is now the party's leader in Leicestershire, and was formally confirmed as leader on Wednesday (14 May). He said: "We're now looking at the cost, the efficiency, we'll then have money for front line [services] but we'll also be able to cut council tax." 'Something has got to change' - people in Coalville gave their feelings on the new Reform leadership. The Conservatives lost control of the council after 24 years in power, as Reform UK became the largest party. Reform UK holds 25 of Leicestershire 's 55 seats compared to the Conservatives' 15. The party has opted to govern as a minority administration rather than trying to form a coalition with another party. Meanwhile, Reform UK in Derbyshire has announced Alan Graves, the former Mayor of Derby, as its new leader after the party unseated the Conservatives across the East Midlands. Although already selected as the leader of Derbyshire's largest party, he can only be confirmed as leader of the council at a full council meeting on 21 May. Nigel Farage's party won 42 of the 64 Derbyshire County Council seats, taking overall control away from the Conservatives for the first time in eight years. Cllr Graves said: "People will see a change, because there'll be more potholes sorted, the roads will be better, the council efficiency will find money where it once was hidden or lost and we will achieve great things." "We need to make sure the council is operating properly and efficiently to see where we can save some of the vast amounts of money that is being spent." He confirmed the party's stance against net-zero policies, which he said would be streamlined to those which would not cost the council extra. Asked about how the party will tackle potholes and SEND provision, Cllr Graves said: "I've literally just been elected and we have not had any discussions with anybody yet so give us a chance to have a chat about it and I am sure we might actually come up with something." Of the 42 Reform UK councillors elected in Derbyshire, none were county councillors before the election. Reform UK also swept to victory in Nottinghamshire, winning 40 of the county council's 64 seats, and won the Lincolnshire County Council and Great Lincolnshire mayoral elections.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Shop shut by court order for second time in a year
A shop has been closed for a second time over "illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco". In October last year the Roman Express store in Loughborough town centre was shut down by a court order for four weeks. The Church Gate store reopened and began trading under a new name, Go4vape, but monitoring visits in March led to further action from Leicestershire Police and Leicestershire County Council. On Wednesday, a second court order was obtained from Leicester Magistrates' Court against the owner, closing the store a second time. The three month order prevents anyone from entering the shop until 23 July. As well as the vape and tobacco offences which led to the authorities obtaining two successful court orders, Trading Standards officers also conducted an underage sales test purchase in August last year. A young person was not only sold a vape without being challenged, but the vape itself was illegal, the authority said. Gary Connors, head of Leicestershire Trading Standards, said closures work to "disrupt" people willing to "put our local community at a public health risk". He added: "The owner's flagrant disregard for the courts is astonishing and it highlights that Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards officers will follow up on businesses to make sure they're complying with the law." Mr Connors said persistent offenders could be "dealt with individually through the criminal prosecution process" and that the store would face monitoring should it reopen. He added: "We will continue to clamp down on the sale of illicit cigarettes and vapes, as well as underage sales, to protect Leicestershire residents from traders who break the law." Sharing the closure order, a spokesperson for Charnwood Police said: "Illegal products such as these impact on the health of the local community, and also affect those legitimate businesses trading nearby. "There is also a link between these businesses and areas of anti-social behaviour." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Shop closed after hundreds of illegal vapes seized Children given vape warning after 20,000 seized Leicestershire Police Leicestershire County Council
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who will take charge as Reform leads in county?
Although Reform UK has become the largest party in Leicestershire it does not hold overall majority - so who will be in charge at County Hall? The party won 25 seats, just shy of the 28 needed to take full control in the local elections on Thursday. The Conservatives lost control of Leicestershire County Council for the first time in almost a quarter of a century after winning just 14 seats, with the Liberal Democrats securing 11. Party leaders will now have to agree on a form of coalition, which could take days, to run the authority. However, whoever does take charge of the county council will inherit unchanged issues which voters will want them to tackle including: Increasing demand for social care and special educational needs provision Financial challenges at County Hall Fixing potholes Local elections 2025 in maps and charts Farage hails 'unprecedented' Reform win after beating Tories and Labour at local elections Among Reform's headline wins were Michael Squires taking Valley from Conservative leader Nick Rushton. Elsewhere, Deborah Taylor, who was acting leader of the council, was re-elected to the Bradgate division for the Tories. She said on social media: "Many valued colleagues have been defeated and I am sorry to see them go. "Discussions will be held over the next few days as to the way forward for Leicestershire." Lib Dems leader Michael Mullaney, who held De Montfort for the party, told the BBC: "With different parties winning seats, we'll have to see how things go in terms of going forward. "If parties agree with the Liberal Democrats' policies of investing more in roads and pavements, investing more in special educational needs and public transport and flood prevention, then we'll talk to any party." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Reform largest party in 'hung' Leicestershire Council falls into no overall control - as it happened Leicestershire County Council
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Who will be in charge in Leicestershire as Reform leads in county?
Although Reform UK has become the largest party in Leicestershire it does not hold overall majority - so who will be in charge at County Hall?The party won 25 seats, just shy of the 28 needed to take full control in the local elections on Conservatives lost control of Leicestershire County Council for the first time in almost a quarter of a century after winning just 14 seats, with the Liberal Democrats securing leaders will now have to agree on a form of coalition, which could take days, to run the authority. However, whoever does take charge of the county council will inherit unchanged issues which voters will want them to tackle including:Increasing demand for social care and special educational needs provisionFinancial challenges at County HallFixing potholes Among Reform's headline wins were Michael Squires taking Valley from Conservative leader Nick Deborah Taylor, who was acting leader of the council, was re-elected to the Bradgate division for the said on social media: "Many valued colleagues have been defeated and I am sorry to see them go."Discussions will be held over the next few days as to the way forward for Leicestershire."Lib Dems leader Michael Mullaney, who held De Montfort for the party, told the BBC: "With different parties winning seats, we'll have to see how things go in terms of things going forward."If parties agree with the Liberal Democrats' policies of investing more in roads and pavements, investing more in special educational needs and public transport and flood prevention, then we'll talk to any party."
