Lorries from Leicester City Council’s gritting teams are taking to the city's roads again tonight as sub-zero temperatures and snow affect the area. With cold weather and icy conditions affecting much of the region, city council gritters are being deployed to grit the city’s streets. The city council has a team of six gritting lorries and 15 specialist drivers, based at its Leycroft Road depot in Beaumont Leys, which are on standby throughout the winter months. They routinely grit 180 miles of primary routes – more than a third of the city’s entire road network – and a further 40 miles of routes during more severe snowfall. The council uses up to the minute weather forecasts to decide when to send out the fleet of gritting vehicles. Leicester City Council’s director of City Highways, Martin Fletcher, said: “Winter weather is here once again. We get regular detailed road gritting weather forecasts from specialist weather service providers, so we monitor these closely to make a decision on when to go out. “In addition there are over 430 grit bins in communities across the city which means people can also grit pavements and other well-used areas, but as always we’d advise people to take extra care when out and about in icy conditions, particularly pedestrians who should wear appropriate footwear and warm clothing.” Leicester City Council has stockpiled over 2,000 tonnes of rock salt, which works by lowering the freezing point of moisture on the road surface. The first early morning traffic following any overnight ice or snow will crush the salt to form brine, which then gets worked into the snow and ice and helps dissolve it. Gritting routes cover all local hospitals, fire stations and main police stations as well as many schools. The city council’s gritting teams are on standby every year from October to April as part of their winter gritting programme, so are ready to go out gritting at very short notice if overnight snow or ice is forecast. Details of winter road services are available here. Leicester City Council News Published on Tuesday, December 29, 2020

28/12/2020 05:53 Route affected : East Midlands Railway between Sheffield / Derby / Nottingham / Leicester and London St Pancras International Thameslink between Bedford and Brighton; between St Albans City and Sutton; and also between Luton and Rainham All lines have reopened in the Luton area as the fault with the signalling system has been fixed. However, major disruption to trains between Luton and London St Pancras International is expected whilst service recovers. Trains may be cancelled, delayed or revised until approximately 16:00. Advice for East Midlands Railway customers: If you choose not to travel today your ticket (dated 28 December) will be valid for travel tomorrow, Tuesday 29 December. Trains are now able to run between Luton and London St Pancras International but they will remain delayed and some may still be cancelled as train crew and stock has been displaced. More info please click here

Leicestershire Police officers and staff continue to provide 24/7 service to the public throughout the Christmas and New Year period. However, this year is totally different to any others due to the Covid Pandemic. Leicester and Leicestershire remain in Tier 3 and only on Christmas day were households allowed to join up. The majority of people adhered to the guidelines with a very small minority being issued with a fixed penalty notice for breaching the guidelines. As a result between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day police issued six fines to the total value of £1,200. The fines were issued as a result of vehicle checks. In addition police also received 95 reports of Covid breaches by the public. Assistant Chief Constable Kerry Smith said: “Many officers and staff have given up their Christmas Day celebrations to work these holidays in order to keep people safe. This year has been unique in every way due to the pandemic and the restrictions placed on our communities. We continue to police throughout, dealing with day to day crime as well as policing the pandemic. A small number of people chose to ignore the rules and have had a Christmas present from us of a fine. My officers were away from their families on Christmas Day, providing a service throughout the day and night despite the risks. We continue to work with our partners, and the public to keep everyone safe throughout the Christmas and New Year Period.”

Despite the variety of circumstances that bring people to hospital our volunteering team help to make sure those patients needing to attend hospital have a positive experience. Stuart Morton lives in Leicester, loves dogs, swimming and music especially singing. He works as a careers adviser at New College and for three years has also been volunteering at Leicester Hospitals. “I wanted to volunteer during the pandemic to help the local community. Initially it was strange, but with PPE, good training and the support of volunteer services, I soon got used to it. “I initially helped with the donations that were coming in for NHS staff. More recently I have been meeting and greeting patients and also helping to get the Christmas gifts organised for our patients.” The main advice from Stuart is to follow the safety advice on site from arrival. “We’re here to greet you, make sure you know where you need to be and help however we can. You can help us by following our safety guidance when in our hospitals and when you are going about your everyday life too.” Our Multi-lingual gardening enthusiast Shashi Patel from Humberstone, joined the hospital volunteer team eight years ago and has continued to support patients in hospital throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “When I joined Leicester’s Hospital volunteers team I started as a buggy driver at Leicester General. I then moved to the Royal Infirmary to help take people in their wheel chairs to appointments and where I can I also support with any language barriers. I can be the first point of contact for patients so it is important I am a welcoming friendly face – and doing this even when wearing a mask is a whole new skill for me. Top tips from Shashi if you are coming in for an appointment would be to remember that seating in clinics is limited to help social-distancing, so don’t arrive too early! Hilary Allen lives in Glenfield, and volunteers her time for several organisations across Leicestershire, including Leicester’s Hospitals. She also sings in a choir (although they’ve not been able to meet with the choir since March). For the last five years, Hilary has been volunteering at Glenfield Hospital one afternoon each week. Hilary said: “I really enjoy volunteering. I feel there is often some small thing we can do to help others. And it works both ways, because I feel that I get a lot back. “As a volunteer things have changed. Visitors are no longer, understandably, allowed onto the wards so many relatives and friends are dropping off bags of personal items and gifts for patients. One of my main duties is to deliver the bags to the patients Sometimes they ask for a message to be passed on, I like to think that this is helping families to stay connected despite the distance. “I feel very fortunate to be in a position that I can offer my time and support for those who need it, especially during these difficult times.” Our volunteer’s service and patient experience team will be helping families to stay connected through the visiting restrictions this Christmas as they have been doing all year in the face of challenging circumstances balancing safety and wellbeing. Rebecca Brown, Acting Chief Executive said: “During this unprecedented period in our history, our volunteers, whether at home or at our hospitals have played a vital part in the way we have managed patient care. They have made a real difference. With their ongoing support and care it will enable us to emerge from this challenging time stronger and more patient-focused than ever.” University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

First eight pubs awarded money. Deputy county council leader, Blake Pain, with Michael Cosgrove, owner of the Bluebell Inn in Desford, one of the first pubs to receive £1,000, and Peter Bedford, county councillor for Desford Money from a brand new initiative supporting struggling rural pubs is being awarded to landlords across Leicestershire, just days after the scheme launched. Leicestershire County Council is offering a one-off payment of £1,000 to support small village pubs which are unable to open their doors over the festive period. Around 100 have already applied - and this week, the first eight pubs are being awarded cash and another 20 being put in the post. Launched last Friday (18 Dec), the scheme – thought to be the only one of its kind in the country - aims to keep people in jobs, maintain the role of the pub as a community hub and help them to diversify by providing extra services for residents. Michael Cosgrove, owner of the Bluebell in Desford - one of the first pubs to receive £1,000 - said: "Pubs are the beating heart of any rural community, not just at Christmas but all year round. Many pubs have diversified and have continued to help their communities whilst still being shut. "For the county council to recognise this and help with this gesture, will go a small way to help plug the gap between what support we do need to survive and what we are currently receiving from the government. Pubs are integral to our society and we should be doing the upmost to keep as many as we can operating after this crisis." It’s hoped that the scheme will support up to 200 community pubs and is backed by major trade body, the British Beer and Pub Association, which represents around 20,000 of the country’s pubs. Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive, said: “It’s great to see the speed with which Leicestershire County Council is moving in order to ensure the additional financial support they have offered gets into the hands of the county’s small rural wet led pubs that are unable to open over the festive period. The situation facing pubs is urgent in the extreme, so the pace with which the council is acting is brilliant. “We are calling on central Government to increase the current grant payments for pubs impacted by the tighter restrictions and now the likely prolonged period of full closure and continued severe trading restrictions in 2021. I am delighted that Leicestershire County Council recognises the vital social and economic role that local pubs play in their local communities and I urge other local authorities to follow suit and Government to take note.” Pubs need to be in a Leicestershire village able to show how they provide a vital community role. Find out more and apply Applications will be processed over the next few weeks – the first eight pubs to receive money are: The Sugar Loaf, Ab Kettleby The Anchor Inn, Nether Broughton The Plough Inn, Stathern Geese and Fountain, Croxton Kerrial The Lancaster Arms, Desford The Bluebell Inn, Desford Old Hare and Hounds, Anstey The Elephant and Castle, Thurlaston During the pandemic, the council has also: • Given over half-a-million-pounds of Government funding to food banks and community groups – Leicestershire’s slice of the £63m from Defra • Launched a £2.1m fund to support communities – a hospice, a homelessness service and a charity supporting young, older and vulnerable people are just three of those awarded money • Established a £750,000 fund supporting small businesses to get back on their feet Leicestershire County Council News

Thank those who've gone above and beyond during the pandemic Care and support professionals have been on the frontline throughout the coronavirus pandemic - and now it’s your chance to say thanks. Our Adults and Communities department is urging residents and care workers to nominate their carers of the year in time for the Leicestershire Carer of the Year Awards 2021. It is particularly important this year to celebrate and recognise the fantastic and inspirational work of Leicestershire’s adult social care sector, when care professionals have gone above and beyond to protect and support the most vulnerable in our county in the toughest of times. Nominations close on Monday, 4 January and with a range of awards open for nominations, all the county’s care professionals can receive the nomination they deserve. "Every year our care professionals dedicate their lives to caring for the most vulnerable in Leicestershire. We are very grateful for the work they do. These awards are a great opportunity to thank those who deserve so much praise and to let them know that their work is appreciated and recognised." Councillor Richard Blunt, cabinet member for Adult Social Care The awards, held annually, are sponsored by our Inspired to Care team who have been working hard throughout the pandemic to ensure social care providers have the staff they need to provide vital services to the vulnerable and those in isolation. Click here to nominate Leicestershire County Council Thursday, 24 December, 2020

It’s a dream she’s had since the age of five and this Christmas it has finally become a reality. New recruit PC Michaela Merry joined Leicestershire Police earlier this month after having her eyes set on a career in uniform for nearly 25 years. And although the 29-year-old who now lives in Ravenstone, Leicestershire, faced some challenges and setbacks along the way, she never gave up on her goal. She said: “Being a police officer is all I’ve ever wanted to do. My earliest memory of knowing I wanted to join was at about five years of age. I studied related subjects at college and also volunteered with the force last year to get some hands on experience. All in preparation for joining as an officer. “Growing up I struggled a lot in school due to having dyscalculia (a math learning disability) that wasn’t recognised. I was often pushed to the back, left behind and told I wasn’t good enough to become a police officer. “But I never waived from knowing what I wanted and tried not to listen to the negativity, even when other people doubted me. I firmly believe nothing worth having comes easy and the reward I feel now I’ve finally fulfilled my dream is amazing. “I know it will be tough at times but for me the positives definitely outweigh any negatives in this job. I can’t wait to get out there and be with the communities and help make a difference. I know it sounds cliché but I really want to show people they can turn to us in times of need.” For PC Merry and the 33 other new recruits in her cohort, they now have to complete thirteen weeks of intense training before being able to take their first steps out on the streets of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Each of them looking to start 2021 with a new and exciting challenge after taking an oath to serve with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality. Think you have what it takes to become a police officer? Visit Leicestershire police careers pages to find out more.

St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester will close to the public this month, as work begins on its major £13.5million redevelopment. Leicester City Council is planning to rebuild the existing bus station and revamp surrounding streets as part of a major scheme to regenerate this part of the city centre. The St Margaret’s Bus Station building will close to the public from 7pm on Thursday 31 December, so work to prepare it for demolition can begin. National Express coach services will continue to operate from St Margaret’s, with temporary offices and stops in place. County bus services will also continue to operate from temporary stops located on Gravel Street, close to its junction with Church Gate, Charles Street and Abbey Street. All changes will be clearly signposted. The temporary changes will be in place from Friday 1 January 2021. The works will require the closure of Gravel Street, between its junctions with Sandacre Street and Abbey Street. Clearly signed diversions will be in place. Access for pedestrians will be unaffected. Demolition work will be carried out on behalf of the city council by DSM Demolition – the same company that carried the demolition of New Walk Centre. Work is expected to take around four months, with construction on the new building due to begin by late-spring 2021. The striking new bus station building will be glazed from floor to ceiling and feature a striking curved aluminium roof that appears to float above the main concourse hall. Bus passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned and improved internal layout with a new café, better seating and real time digital passenger information. There will also be increased capacity for national and regional bus services, with the number of bays increased from 18 to 24. A series of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures will help make the new bus station a carbon neutral building. It is believed that this would be the first bus station to be built to net zero carbon standards in the UK. Electric bus charging points will be installed, and the new building will feature secure storage for up to 150 bikes. Improvements to footpaths and roads immediately surrounding the bus station are also proposed, with better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, new landscaping and tree planting, and better and safer crossings to soften the impact of the ring road. This will help strengthen and improve links between key development sites and the city centre, including the new Savoy Street which will link the new St Margaret’s and Haymarket bus stations. Deputy city mayor for environment and transportation Cllr Adam Clarke said: “These exciting plans to replace St Margaret’s Bus Station with a striking, new and carbon neutral building will signal the beginning of a revival of this part of the city. “The award of over £10million of government cash is a huge endorsement of the importance of this scheme. It will provide a huge boost for sustainable transport, help regenerate a run down but important gateway into Leicester and attract further private investment into the city. “I’m confident that the necessary short-term disruption for bus users will be more than worth it in the long run.” The £13.5million bus station redevelopment is part of the St Margaret’s Gateway regeneration project. This is supported by a £10.5m allocation from the Getting Building Fund, a pot of government funding awarded to the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Limited (LLEP) for shovel-ready infrastructure projects to create jobs and support economic recovery across the country. Details of all temporary bus stops for affected local services are as follows: Kinchbus service 2 to Loughborough – stop BP on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Arriva services 26, 27, 29 & 29A to Coalville, Ratby or Burton on Trent – stop BJ on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Arriva services 84, 85 & X84 to Lutterworth, South Wigton or Rugby – stop CA on Charles Street (close to Humberstone Gate East) Roberts Coaches service 125 to Castle Donnington – stop BH on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Arriva services 126 & 127 to Coalville or Shepshed – stop BK on Abbey Street Centrebus service 154 to Loughborough – stop BP on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Kinchbus Skylink to Derby – stop BP on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Arriva services X3, X6 & X55 to Market Harborough, Coventry or Hinckley – stop CJ on Charles Street (Close to Halford Street) Centrica staff bus – stop BH on Gravel Street (close to Church Gate) Any further changes to temporary arrangements will be clearly signed and publicised in advance. Leicester City Council News Release.

A nationwide business is keen to recruit at least five additional drivers after opening a new depot in Leicestershire. Go Plant Fleet Services has relocated its workshop and offices from Ibstock to nearby Bardon. The move delivers a new base for the company’s fleet of road sweepers servicing the East Midlands along with a hi-tech repair and maintenance facility and modern offices for a total of 45 staff. Now the company, which operates across the UK, is keen to boost its complement of drivers based at the depot. Ady Bates, Depot Manager for Go Plant Fleet Services’ East Midlands regional office, said: “We relocated the workshop and office that was based in Ibstock and our brand new depot in Bardon is now fully operational. “The move actually took place during lockdown earlier this year and the team did a fabulous job in challenging circumstances. “Now it’s up and running, we have a terrific modern base for our operated hire sweepers and a repair and maintenance facility for our own fleet. “The depot is in an ideal location to access the main transport network so it puts us in a great position to service the entire East Midlands region.” At least five full-time positions are being made available for HGV sweeper drivers with a Category C and DCPC card. And due to expansion of the business there could be more in future. Ady added: “Our drivers are responsible for delivering levels of service that set us apart and for ensuring projects are completed to the highest standard. “They’re the face of our business, so it’s vitally important that we get the right kind of people with the right skills and the right approach. “We’re looking for five initially, but more positions could well become available in the near future.” For more information about services or vacancies at Go Plant Fleet Services, contact Ady Bates, email abates@gpl-hire.co.uk

Details explaining how and when people can make use of all city council services over the festive period are now available. Numerous changes are taking place to the way various services and facilities operated by Leicester City Council are run over the Christmas and New Year period, as well as some additional changes due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions. The council will aim to prioritise that the city’s most vulnerable residents, while ensuring the safety of staff, services and people across the city. All information covering the Christmas and New Year period 2020 is available on Leicester City Council’s website here. The Customer Service Centre in Granby Street is currently closed, but has been operating a comprehensive online, email and telephone service during the pandemic. Its phone lines will be closed from December 24 to 28, and again from January 1 to 3. The service will be operating from 8am to 4pm on December 23, and from December 29-31, with normal hours resuming on January 4. Numerous homelessness services will be providing Christmas and New Year provision between December 19 to January 3, including council-run facilities such as the Dawn Centre in Conduit Street behind Leicester Station, and also partner agencies offering help ranging from hot meals and washing facilities to support, advice and guidance. Opening arrangements vary. Gypsum Close and Freemen’s Common Recycling Centres will close early at 2pm on December 24 and 31, and will be closed on December 25, 26 and on January 1. Changes are also being made to bin collections over the festive period, with collections being made one day earlier during the weeks commencing December 21 and December 28. Drivers wanting to park in the city centre Newarke Street Car Park will find it closed on December 25, 26 and 27 as well as January 1. The three Park and Ride services, from Meynell’s Gorse, Birstall and Enderby, will operate extra services on Boxing Day and Monday, December 28, with buses running every 15 minutes from 10am to 4pm. They are operated jointly by the city and county councils. Full details of that service are available here. Anyone wanting to work off the extra festive calories will still be able to visit either Braunstone Leisure Centre or Cossington Street Sports Centre. Both are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and close earlier than normal on Christmas Eve, December 28 and December 31. From January 2, Braunstone Leisure Centre, Cossington Street Sports Centre and Spence Street Sports Centre will reopen. The city’s parks will remain open to enjoy throughout the festive period. The city council's walk-in testing centre for people with no symptoms of coronavirus, but who want the reassurance of a test, will remain open until 8pm on Wednesday (23 December). The test centre, at Fosse Neighbourhood Centre on Mantle Road, will then reopen on Tuesday 29 December. People should continue to call 119, should they develop symptoms of coronavirus. They will be given an appointment for a test at one of Leicester's other testing units, which will remain open throughout the Christmas period - even on Bank Holidays. Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “While this Christmas and New Year will undoubtedly be unlike any other we’ve experienced before, it’s important to know that we are still here to provide services to those who need it most during these unprecedented times. “The city council’s website contains up to date information on what is open and when over the festive period, as well as details on how people can continue to access important services.”

Go GINGER agency are travelling to each and every one of the 91 professional English league stadiums plus the home of football, Wembley Stadium. they are embarking on this 2100+ mile journey over the course of 8 days, starting from Gillingham FC on Sunday 13th of December and finishing their trip on day 8, Sunday the 20th of December, at West Ham United’s London Stadium! FareShare the charity partner who are benefiting from this extraordinary campaign. They are also backed by Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, and provide over 2,000,000 meals each week for those in need. We aim to raise a minimum of £92,000 via our text giving number – Text GINGER to 70480, and JustGiving – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ginger92 We appreciate 2020 has been a demanding year.... however No Child Should Go HUNGRY On Christmas Day! All donations are hugely appreciated by the Go GINGER team. Tonight they arrived at the King Power Stadium to a welcome party organised by the fans of the club (social distancing of course).

Businesses across Leicester whose trade has been affected by the local or national coronavirus restrictions are being reminded to apply for a share of funding in the latest grants schemes being administered by Leicester City Council. Since November, applications have been open for non-repayable grants to support hospitality, hotel, accommodation and leisure sector businesses which had been legally allowed to stay open up until the second lockdown on November 5, but which had been severely hit by the local coronavirus restrictions. Most applications have been processed and £4m has been paid to 2,000 local businesses. The grants are aimed at helping ease the financial strain put upon these businesses by the localised restrictions under which Leicester was placed, from August 1 until the introduction of a second, nationwide lockdown in November. Eligible businesses can claim between £3,200 and £6,600 for the 96-day period of Leicester’s local lockdown from 1 August to 4 November, as recommended by the Government, depending on the rateable values of their premises. Secondly, funding is available for businesses which were legally required to close during the second national lockdown. Eligible businesses can claim non-repayable grants of between £1,334 and £3,000 for the 28-day lockdown period, as set by the Government, depending on the rateable values of their premises. Many businesses are eligible to apply for both grants, so businesses are asked to carefully check the eligibility criteria and apply for both where appropriate. The grants are the latest in a series of financial help packages for businesses which are being coordinated through Leicester City Council. Further on-going financial help will be made available for firms affected by the restrictions, along with a recently-announced one-off £1,000 Christmas grant for pubs that do not have significant food sales. Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “It is vital that businesses take advantage of the financial help that is being made available to them. “Many businesses across the city have had a very tough year, and the ongoing Tier 3 restrictions mean there will continue to be disruption to trade for some time yet. “This funding will go some of the way to easing the financial hardship they’ve been enduring.” Full details of eligibility and how to apply are available here. Leicester City Council Release dated 18/12/20