A Blue plaque commemorating Leicester suffragette Alice Hawkins is due to be unveiled on the house in the city neighbourhood where she lived. The plaque at 18 Mantle Road, Newfoundpool, marks the address where she and her family lived during her campaigning years in the early 1900s. It is being unveiled to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023. The commemorative plaque is the result of work by local Fosse Ward councillors, Alice’s great-grandson Peter Barratt and Ismail Dale of Heritage Schools. Pupils from local primary and secondary schools will lead the event which takes place at 10am. Many suffragettes, including Alice, refused to provide their address for census purposes of the day, but a postcard from Alice’s suffrage memorabilia, which is still in the ownership of her descendants, gave the address. The postcard, which was sent to her by Leeds suffragette Mary Gawthorpe on June 11, 1907, provided valuable formation on where Alice lived. This has enabled councillors in Fosse Ward and Peter Barratt to confirm the address with the Records Office and, via a local community ward fund grant, to bring the blue plaque campaign to fruition. Tying in with International Women’s Day, it not only commemorates Alice Hawkins, but many of the other local women who campaigned alongside her for equality at the ballot box. Councillor Sue Waddington, who has been involved in leading the campaign, said: “I am very pleased that the plaque to celebrate Alice’s life will be a permanent reminder of her life in Fosse ward and her struggles for votes for women. “It was a hard-won fight for the vote and Alice was imprisoned many times during the campaign. “I hope the plaque reminds us of her sacrifices and that we should all use our precious right to vote at every election.” Following the unveiling there will be a short talk on Alice by Peter Barratt, at the Fosse Neighbourhood Centre, immediately opposite the house in Mantle Road. The event is open to the public to attend. Peter Barratt added: “To see a plaque unveiled on the very house where Alice and family, including our grandfather, lived over a 100 years ago will be a very touching moment for myself and all her descendants who will be with me on the day.” Pupils from nearby Inglehurst Junior School, Castle Mead Academy and Fosse Mead Academy will be taking part in the unveiling ceremony. The plaque also ties in with Historic England’s Heritage Schools project to connect youngsters with their local history. Heritage Schools’ Ismail Dale said: “Place-based local history is a very powerful tool to engage school children and connect them with their shared past. “Alice’s struggle for democracy has inspired pupils in Leicester to appreciate their inherited legacy of British democracy and encourage them to become active citizens. “Historic England’s Heritage Schools Programme has enabled Peter Barratt, the great grandson of Alice, to go into schools and over several years, share her stories with thousands of Leicester’s pupils. “It is his hard work that eventually led to the unveiling of the statue in Green Dragon Square and, with Councillor Sue Waddington, the installation of this plaque in Mantle Road. “The enthusiastic involvement of these local pupils shows how her story resonates with them today and her legacy will continue well into the future.” A statue of Alice Hawkins was erected in 2018 at Green Dragon Square, next to Leicester Market, near to the spot where she would have addressed crowds on the subject of women's suffrage.

Thousands of children across Leicester will be offered places at secondary schools today – with a record number of children being offered a Year 7 place at a city school. Today (Wed 1 March) is National Offer Day, when children up and down the country learn which secondary school they will attend for the 2023/24 academic year. In Leicester, 4,785 city residents applied for a secondary school place. Of those, 4,083 (85.3%) gained a place at their first-choice school. A further 445 (9.3%) got their second preference, 83 (1.7%) their third preference and 13 (0.3%) their fourth preference. In total, 96.6% were offered a place at one of their top four schools, with the remaining 3.4% offered alternative places. Every applicant who applied on time was offered a place at a school. A record number of applicants (4369) were offered a place at a Leicester city secondary school. This is the seventh consecutive year of increasing numbers of applicants being granted places at city schools, up from 3,541 in 2016. Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, assistant city mayor for education, said: “I’m really pleased to see that the vast majority of applicants – 96.6% – gained a place at one of their preferred schools, with most getting their first choice. “We know starting secondary school can be an anxious time for families, and we do all we can to make the applications process as straightforward as possible while meeting demand. “Despite making a record number of offers of places within city secondary schools, we have made sure that, once again, no-one who applies on time is without a place.” This year, 91% of parents made an online application, meaning they can view their results online on offer day, rather than having to wait for a letter to be posted out to them.

Leicester City Council is set to renew powers to stop landlords putting up boards advertising their properties in some parts of the city. In summer 2018, the city council brought into effect a new Regulation 7 Direction which effectively banned the use of ‘To Let’ boards in some areas of the city, close to the University of Leicester and De Montfort University. It means that landlords and agents now need to apply for planning consent to put up signs advertising properties for rent in parts of the Castle, Knighton, Saffron and Westcotes wards. If they fail to comply, they could face court action and be fined up to £2,500. The ban covers some addresses in the Windermere, Hazel, Clarendon Park, Greenhill, West End, Ashleigh Road and West End conservation areas. The existing legal direction is due to expire in July 2023, and the city council is planning to apply for this to renewed. Before then, people are being invited to have their say of the effectiveness of the measure and whether they support a continuation of the ban on unauthorised 'To Let' boards in these parts of the city. Deputy city mayor Cllr Piara Singh Clair, who leads on regulatory services, said: “Prior to bringing these new powers into effect, many people who lived close to the universities were concerned about the almost permanent proliferation of ‘To Let’ boards on their streets. “Since the direction was implemented, there has been a significant reduction in illegally displayed ‘To Let’ boards which has led to an improvement in the appearance of the affected areas. We don’t want to see the advertising boards becoming an eyesore in these areas again and hope to renew the legal powers which have helped us to successfully tackle the problem.” Councils can apply for powers to control the display of ‘To Let’ boards under Regulation 7 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007. Leicester City Council submitted its bid for the Regulation 7 direction in October 2016, following a public consultation on the proposal. The successful bid was confirmed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in February 2018. The powers first came into effect from 2nd July 2018 and last for five years. To have your say on plans to renew the existing ban on To Let boards in certain parts of the city, visit consultations.leicester.gov.uk Closing date for comments is Wednesday 5 April.

A gang of 16 men who sold cocaine via text message have been jailed for more than 86 years. Operating out of addresses in Leicester city centre, the group operated three mobile phone numbers which allowed members of the public to buy drugs. Both were monitored by an ‘operator’ who would be a direct point of contact with the buyer. The operator would then contact a ‘courier’ – who was using a different number – who would then meet the buyer, hand over the cocaine and collect the cash. However, the group’s criminal activity – between October 2019 and January 2021 – was uncovered following a comprehensive investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU). It is estimated that the group received just under £2m dealing drugs in this 16-month period. During the case, more than £74,000 was seized by the police. Forfeiture orders have been made for the full £74,000. The group, who are all of no fixed abode, previously appeared at court where they admitted their crimes. Sentencing took place both yesterday and today (Wednesday 1 March) at Leicester Crown Court. They are: Besfort Agaj, 30, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to eight years Liridon Agaj, 28, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply class A drugs – cocaine and one count of possession of an identity document with improper intention, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years Elvi Bajrami, 36, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to six years and eight months Erlind Bashukaj, 28, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine and one count of possession of an identity document with improper intention, was sentenced to four years and eight months years Bledar Cakraj, 26, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine and one count of possession of an identity document with improper intention, was sentenced to four years Elidon Dega, 26, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and months Bekim Gjongecaj, 25, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and 2 months Bujar Hykaj, 30, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine and two counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention, was sentenced to six years and eight months Erdilant Kucana, 28, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and two months Eraml Kucana, 21, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and eight months Kismet Memia, 35, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to six years and eight months Fatjom Memia, 32, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and eight months Arland Rexhat, 27, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to six years and eight months years Ervin Sinani, 34, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and two months Shkelzen Sokolaj, 51, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine and cone count of possession of an identity document with improper intention, was sentenced to six years and eight months Andi Sula, 36, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine, was sentenced to four years and eight months Detective Sergeant Lindsay O’Nion, from EMSOU, said: “This group were running a very thorough and complex operation to supply drugs across Leicester. “Their approach – using numerous different mobile phone numbers – was developed in the belief it would make it difficult for police to identify them and bring them to justice. However, as a result of a very long, detailed and thorough investigation, they’re now serving custodial sentences. “I hope the public can take some reassurance from this case and know that we will investigate and take action against anyone attempting to bring drugs to the streets of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.” Detective Supeintendent James Avery added: “The sentencing of this group is the culmination of a thorough and highly professional police investigation which was recognised in court today. “It represents our determination to identify, catch and convict those who are involved in the supply of drugs and that there is no limit to our reach as Leicestershire Police works collaboratively with colleagues in EMSOU to bring offenders to justice.” A 39-year-old man, also of no fixed abode, was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to supply a class A drug – cocaine following a trial. Leicestershire Police News 01/03/23

A major £7.5million revamp of a busy Leicester road is nearly complete, with the final phase of resurfacing work due to begin this week. Leicester City Council has been carrying out an extensive programme of improvements to Abbey Park Road, alongside essential maintenance to its Grade II-listed road bridge. The work is now entering its final stage with resurfacing of the road – from its junction with Belgrave Circle up to and including the historic road bridge – scheduled to take place from Friday (24 Feb). Work is expected to take around three weeks to complete, and will be carried out in two phases to help minimise disruption. The first phase will see the stretch of road between Wolsey Island Way up to and including the historic road bridge resurfaced. This will take around three to four days. A second phase of work is then due to begin from Monday 27 Feb when the remaining section of Abbey Park Road, between Wolsey Island Way and Belgrave Circle, will be resurfaced. This is expected to take up to three weeks to complete. Access will be maintained throughout the works, except for on Monday 27 February when the junction to Abbey Meadows will be closed to all traffic for up to one day. Abbey Park Road will remain closed to through traffic during this final stage of work. The road is due to reopen during week commencing Monday 17 March, but some temporary lane restrictions will be still required while work to the bridge parapets is completed. The city council has carried out an extensive programme of maintenance to Abbey Corner Bridge, which spans the River Soar. A detailed survey of the bridge, which dates back to 1874, found evidence of corrosion in the cast iron structure and other issues that have now been remedied following months of expert repair and restoration. This will help ensure that this important road bridge can continue to be used safely by heavy traffic for many years to come. Bridge maintenance work was carried out at the same time as an ambitious programme of highway improvements that will help make Abbey Park Road a more appealing and safer route for all road users, with a new 3.5m-wide bike-friendly footbridge alongside the Abbey Corner Bridge providing the centrepiece. New bus lanes have been created to run in both directions to give more priority to public transport, improve service reliability and encourage more people to use the bus. Some on-street parking has been removed to create more space for the bus lanes. The scheme has been carefully modelled and designed to ensure that traffic capacity will be maintained, helping to reduce delays and congestion. Footpaths have been widened with new off road cycle lanes created to provide more space for people walking or riding bikes, and two new road crossings have been installed. The area immediately in front of the main gates to Abbey Park has also been overhauled to create a more open and attractive approach to the award-winning, historic park. A new gas main has been installed along Abbey Park Road during the works, ahead of the planned resurfacing. This has sightly extended the anticipated work programme but also reduced the likelihood of further disruptive closures of the road for the foreseeable future. The £7.5million revamp of Abbey Park Road is supported by the Transforming Cities Fund as part of an ambitious programme of investment in sustainable transport across the city. Deputy City Mayor Cllr Adam Clarke said: “The ambitious revamp of Abbey Park Road will help change the way that people think about travelling on this busy and important route. “The new bike-friendly footbridge might be the centrepiece, but a range of carefully considered improvements mean that the road will be more people-friendly whatever means of transport they choose. New bus lanes will help improve journey times and what was a fairly daunting road for cyclists is now a much safer and more appealing route. “We are grateful for people’s patience. This has been a major programme of work – which has also seen extensive repairs carried out to one of the city’s oldest road bridges. “Schemes like this don’t come cheaply or without disruption, but it is vital that we continue to invest in helping people make the shift to cleaner, greener, healthier and cheaper modes of travelling around Leicester to further improve the city’s air quality and support our response to the climate emergency. We need to be bold and ambitious in our plans to deliver a greener solution for the future growth of our city.” Leicester City Council is carrying out an ambitious £80million citywide programme of investment in sustainable transport, backed by £40million from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. The package of work is delivering major sustainable transport improvements to provide attractive choices for people to get to work, education, local and other facilities supporting the city’s growth and deliver on the council’s climate emergency, air quality and healthy living commitments. Leicester City Council News

Users of Leicester’s district heating scheme will see the rise in their bills capped at 30% lower than had been proposed if revised charges are agreed by city councillors at tonight’s budget meeting (22 Feb). Asst city mayor for housing Cllr Elly Cutkelvin said that although charges still need to rise, the new proposals would lessen the impact on tenants and leaseholders, Cllr Cutkelvin said: “There has been a lot of debate about the proposals over the last few months, and I am grateful to everyone who has taken part for their recognition of the many budget pressures we face and the challenging financial position this creates. “I would particularly like to thank Jean Williams, chair of St Matthew’s tenants’ association, Shokat Seedat, chair of St Peter’s tenants’ association and the Wycliffe ward councillors for their valuable input. “Following a recent meeting with the chairs and Jon Ashworth MP, we have decided to further support those using the district heating scheme by absorbing an additional £850,000 of the fuel cost increase.” If the new proposals are agreed tonight, the charge will rise to £1,325 for a one-bedroom property, with the average increase working out at £1,611 a year. The council is working towards fitting meters in all properties connected to the district heating network at a cost of £2.3m. This will enable tenants and lease holders to pay only for the fuel they use, rather than a fixed cost as is currently the case. Leicester City Council News 22/02/2023

The lifesaving Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) has achieved another milestone by undertaking its first ECMO transfer to help a critically ill young child get to the specialist care they urgently needed. The national transfer service provides the only intensive care helicopter in the country dedicated to transferring critically ill babies and children, at high-speed, from local hospitals to specialist paediatric and neonatal treatment centres. The charity works closely with 11 NHS Clinical Partner Teams across the country - including the Heart Link ECMO Centre in Leicester – and uniquely offers ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation) functionality onboard its new AgustaWestland 169 aircraft. ECMO, a system similar to a heart and lung bypass machine, is a temporary means of providing oxygen to the body when a child’s heart and/or lungs are not working effectively, and normal methods of intensive care are failing. On 31st January 2023, TCAA and the dedicated team at Leicester ECMO worked together to transfer a poorly young child from a hospital in Birmingham to one in Newcastle, made possible by the ECMO intensive care functionality designed and delivered by TCAA. The vital transfer took just 1 hour and 26 minutes, compared to a journey of 3 hours and 38 minutes via road ambulance – without considering any potential traffic delays or potential issues of uneven road surfaces. Commenting on the first ECMO transfer, Dr Chris Harvey, ECMO Consultant and Director of ECMO, at Leicester Children’s Hospital said: “Moving patients on ECMO is logistically difficult and having such a professional and well-organised team such as TCAA to help in moving these critically ill children is fantastic. TCAA has worked incredibly hard with the ECMO team at Leicester to provide the necessary equipment to fly these patients who are the sickest of the sick. “Being able to move children for ongoing specialist care quickly and safely can prove lifesaving. By using TCAA in the transfer of this child the time spent outside the safe intensive care unit, in the hostile big wide world, was cut by over 2 hours. This time saving could make a real difference to these children.” The Children’s Air Ambulance charity is continually looking at ways in which they can increase support to the NHS and the clinical teams it works alongside. Since introducing ECMO and Nitric Oxide capabilities onboard its aircraft, it has further introduced England’s first incubators (Neonatal Transport Systems) on a helicopter to assist specialist NHS transport teams during lifesaving flights. “On behalf of the charity, I am incredibly delighted that we were able to support the hardworking ECMO NHS specialist transport team with our first ECMO mission to transfer the young patient quickly and safely,” expressed TCAA Head of Operations, Alfie Daly. “These lifesaving equipment developments we continue to provide onboard our helicopters enable us to undertake complex and important missions like these, so we can keep hope alive and help as many patients and families as possible,” he added. This year, the national charity is celebrating its 10th year of vital transfer missions thanks to the generous backing of its supporters. For more information about the charity, call 0300 3045 999 or visit www.childrensairambulance.org.uk

A nine-month investigation centred in Leicester has led to more than £300,000 worth of class A drugs and £75,000 in cash being seized. Over the last two weeks, officers have executed a significant number of warrants at addresses across the county in an attempt to disrupt the buying and selling of drugs – activity known as County Lines. A total of 50 people have been arrested under the Misuse of Drugs Act, including a number of significant people who were believe to be controlling the “County Lines”. Detective Chief Inspector Jim Hatton from Leicestershire Police’s Violence and Complex Crime Unit has led the operation from its start in April 2022. He said: “After so many months of building the intelligence picture, to have such good results from the enforcement is incredibly satisfying. “With 50 people arrested, and 30 now charged with drugs offences and going through the court system, they aren’t causing harm in the community, bringing drugs into the force area. A number of others have also been dealt with by recall to prison, with some also released pending further investigation.” Criminals from larger cities move to provincial areas, often into vulnerable people’s houses in order to take over their lives by establishing a drug supply criminal enterprise in that area. This can have significant consequences for communities and vulnerable people whilst also raising crime and anti-social behaviour in the area. The operation is following a ‘clear, hold, build’ strategy, a nationally recognised approach, giving us the best chance to arrest those offenders causing the most harm and who have a longer impact on the community. Following the enforcement, neighbourhood officers will be carrying out proactive patrols in the areas most impacted following the enforcement. DCI Hatton added: “Following the disruption of the lines, we are working with local organisations to get help for those who want it. “Leicester City Council and Turning Point have been key in the work we’ve been doing, visiting offenders when we have them in custody and engaging with those who have been left without access to their drug supply, to help and support them to be able to kick their habits.” Karen Manville, Leicester City Council's Head of Prevention and Safer Communities, said: “Bringing our internal teams together and working in partnership with Leicestershire Police is key to the success in making our city a safer and more vibrant place to live. "Nicola Odom, Partnership and Service Development Manager, has led on our response to ensure a strong commitment to this piece of work. We are committed to continuing to work in partnership with sustainable long term outcomes." Sarah Hancock-Smith, from Turning Point, said: “Through working in Partnership with Leicestershire Police, Turning Point will be working with and supporting vulnerable people who’ve found themselves in need of drug treatment following the removal of large amount of drugs from the streets of Leicester. “Drugs being taken off the streets in enforcement like this what’s best for everyone in the community, but it does leave those reliant on their supplier vulnerable if the are unable to get their fix – that’s where we come in. “Anyone who finds themselves needing support for drug or alcohol use can contact Turning Point on 0330 3036000 or visit Leicester | Turning Point (turning-point.co.uk) Inspector Nadia Rana, the Neighbourhood Policing Area Commander for the city, said: “There will be a significant presence in the area over the coming weeks in order to remain vigilant to those who may still be attempting to sell drugs in our area – we will not stand for this. “Drug dealing and the effect it has on the community is significant, and operations like this mean that those causing the harm are taken out of the community.” This activity is supported by the Violence Reduction Network funding, funding from the National County Lines Coordination Centre and from the proceeds of crime, whereby our previous seizure of criminal assets by Leicestershire Police is utilised to protect our local communities, tackling those that cause the most harm and bring offenders to justice.

A new enquiry office has opened in Coalville’s Belvoir Shopping Centre – providing greater engagement with the local community. The current front enquiry office was based within North West Leicestershire District Council’s premises in Whitwick Road, but from today (Tuesday 24 January) is based in new home at the Belvoir Road entrance to the shopping centre. The new office is open from 9am until 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 9am until 4pm on Thursdays. Working with the local authority, it will allow residents and business owners across the North West Leicestershire Neighbourhood Policing Area (NPA) to report any issues or concerns they may have. NPA commander, Inspector Wayne Nimblette, said: “This new location will give us greater prominence within Coalville and will hopefully increase our engagement with the community we serve. While we encourage people to report things online. We recognise the importance and reassurance that face-to-face contact can have. “It means anyone going into town to do their shopping, for example, can come and see us if there’s something they want to talk to us about.” Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner, Rupert Matthews, said: “This is an excellent move for the people of Coalville and will be a positive addition to the town centre. “Our hard-working officers and staff strive to make life better and safer for their communities. What better way to reinforce this message than to be physically visible and accessible to residents within the very heart of local life. “Sharing facilities with our colleagues enhances effectiveness while making economic sense. Both organisations already work closely together, and this new arrangement will enhance that relationship further and deliver a better service for our communities, which makes me very proud." Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “We’re pleased to welcome colleagues from the police to share our Customer Centre in Coalville. “Since opening in November we’ve had lots of positive comments from customers, who appreciate the central location and the modern facilities. We’re looking forward to continuing to work alongside the police for the benefit of our community.”

The awards celebrate the very best examples of effort and achievement. The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire has launched his 2023 awards designed to showcase and celebrate the achievements of young people aged 13 to 19 across the city and county. Family, friends, teachers, and other professionals and community leaders who see the best our young people have to offer are being urged to nominate inspiring young people in their communities for this year’s Lord-Lieutenant’s Award. As always, the categories for this year celebrate the very best examples of effort and achievement. People can nominate for Young Person of Courage, Young Volunteer, Young Leader, and Young Artist. I am delighted to formally open the nominations for the 2023 Lord-Lieutenant’s Awards. As ever, the award categories highlight bravery, creativity, strength of spirit and selflessness – which can inspire us all in Leicester and Leicestershire. I hope this year’s awards will once again offer local people the opportunity to celebrate young people they know who amaze, support and inspire those around by overcoming obstacles and bringing people together in their communities. As Lord-Lieutenant I am privileged to meet so many fantastic young people and I really look forward to hearing about the remarkable efforts of our amazing young people and their outstanding endeavours. So, with your help by nominating young people who deserve recognition I’m convinced that competition will be as strong as ever. Mike Kapur OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire The finalists and their parents or guardians will be invited to a special ‘red carpet’ awards evening and dinner, hosted by the Lord-Lieutenant, to be held next year. The closing date for this year’s nominations is 17 February 2023. The award scheme is open to all 13 to 19-year-olds. Nominations can be made by other young people, their school, parent or carer, as well as any other agency or individual. To find out more about the awards or to nominate a young person, visit the Lord-Lieutenant's Awards page.

A Final consultation is taking place on Leicester’s Local Plan. A Local Plan shows how local authorities propose to organise and allow development through the planning process for the next 15 years. It is a legal requirement that all authorities draw up and adopt a Local Plan. As part of the process of adopting a new plan in Leicester, three consultations have already been carried out. Initial options were consulted on in 2014, before a further consultation in 2017 looked at possible sites in the city that could be allocated for future development. A consultation in 2020 set out draft policies and recommended sites that could be developed to meet Government targets, which have increased considerably over the course of preparing for a new Local Plan. Feedback has been gathered from these consultations and incorporated into the latest Local Plan. Other factors have also been taken into account, such as changing legislation and the need to incorporate key local policies on topics such as health, heritage, biodiversity and climate change. As a result, some proposed development sites for the new Local Plan have been removed or modified. Changes have also been made to increase the number of homes that will be built on brownfield sites and in the city centre. The overall housing need for Leicester between 2020 and 2036 is 39,424 homes in total, which includes homes already completed and existing planning permissions. In terms of new site allocations, 6,668 (71%) homes are proposed on brownfield sites in the city, with 2,686 (29%) planned on greenfield sites. The Plan is supported by an agreement with councils in Leicestershire – known as a statement of common ground – which will form a key part of Leicester’s Local Plan. This means 18,700 of the total 39,424 homes the Government says Leicester needs to build by 2036 will be built on land outside of the city’s boundaries. In addition, around 23 hectares of employment land - from a total requirement of 65 hectares - will be allocated outside of the city, on behalf of Leicester. This final consultation stage seeks views only on whether the council has followed the correct legal and procedural requirements and developed a ‘sound’ plan that has been positively prepared and justified, is effective, and is consistent with national policy. It will also check the council has co-operated effectively with key stakeholders in developing its strategies and policies. Responses received on these aspects of the plan and process will be sent to the Secretary of State to be reviewed by the Government’s appointed Planning Inspector at an Examination in Public to be held later this year. The consultation will run from 16th January until 27th February 2023. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This is the final stage of consultation on our proposed Local Plan before it goes to the planning inspector. “People have had many chances to give their opinions on the emerging Plan in previous consultations, and we have made changes as a result, including withdrawing some sites for potential development and increasing the amount of development we intend for brownfield sites. “That phase of consultation is now complete, and this phase focuses on ensuring we have met the correct criteria in the way we have developed the plan. “While we have been doing this, the Government increased our housing need by 35%, adding a further 9,712 homes to our need between 2020 and 2036. In March 2022, it then published more new data which increased housing need in the city by a further 2,800 homes, raising our overall housing need for Leicester between 2020 and 2036 to 39,424 homes in total. “It has been a great challenge incorporating these targets, as well as changing legislation, against a backdrop of the covid pandemic. Thankfully, the support and co-operation of our neighbouring local authorities means we can now move ahead with a plan that will give us all local control over where and how development takes place. “We are working to strike a balance between providing the homes and jobs needed for Leicester to continue to thrive, and protecting our important heritage, biodiversity and green spaces. A Local Plan is our best and only chance of having local control over decisions like these.” Leicester’s emerging Local Plan will run to 2036. To find out more, visit https://consultations.leicester.gov.uk/sec/local-plan Leicester City Council News

Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps backs consumers as offensive launched to crack down on rogue energy suppliersEnergy suppliers told they must stop the practice of forced fitting prepayment meters as the answer to families struggling to pay bills, following a huge surge in cases. The Business Secretary asks suppliers to share data on the number of warrants they have requested for this purpose to name and shame worst offenders Business and Energy Secretary Grant Shapps has today (22 January 2023) pledged to crack down on the mistreatment of energy users by suppliers, following reports showing some are doing nowhere near enough to support vulnerable customers. He has written to energy suppliers calling on them to stop the harmful and anxiety inducing practice of forcibly moving consumers over to prepayment meters without taking every step to support consumers in difficulty. The Business Secretary is asking suppliers to voluntarily commit to stopping this practice and holding their feet to the fire by demanding they share the number of warrants they’ve applied for in recent months. He wants to see much greater efforts from suppliers to help consumers in payment difficulties before leaping to the extreme of forced prepayment switching, such as offers of additional credit, debt forgiveness or tools such as debt advice. In his letter, he has asked suppliers to discuss possible further action they can take to support customers and avoid forced fitting. This action is part of a drive to increase transparency around prepayment meter installations, to track down the worst culprits and find out which energy companies are trigger happy in applying for them. Courts are being overwhelmed with applications for warrants as they continue to mount, with reports that huge batches are being approved in a matter of minutes. The Business Secretary is working with Ofgem and the Secretary of State for Justice to ensure that the process by which suppliers bring these cases to court is fair, transparent and supports vulnerable customers. Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps, said: "Suppliers are clearly jumping the gun and moving at risk customers onto prepayment meters before offering them the support they are entitled to – I simply cannot believe that every possible alternative has been exhausted in all these cases. "I am deeply concerned to see reports of customers being switched to prepayment meters against their will, with some disconnected from supply - and quite literally left in the dark. "Rather than immediately reaching for a new way to extract money out of customers, I want suppliers to stop this practice and lend a more sympathetic ear, offering the kind of forbearance and support that a vulnerable customer struggling to pay should be able to expect. "This follows reports that the number of customers switched to prepayment meters has soared in recent months, and in many cases unwillingly and without the offer of support. In some instances, this has led to vulnerable customers having their gas and electricity supplies cut off with little or no notice. Prepayment meters allow customers to pay for gas and electricity on a pay-as-you-go basis and serve an important function by helping the avoidance of debt and court action. A moratorium on forced prepayment switching could lead to an increase in bailiff action and so the Government wishes to avoid going down this route. Under Ofgem rules forced switching to prepayment must only ever be a last resort but, with the nation battling with energy prices, more have struggled to pay their bills and been forced installations and self-disconnection. In recognition of this, some energy suppliers are already taking steps to support consumers such as by pausing remote switching of smart meters to prepayment mode or providing additional credit to customers struggling to pay. The Business Secretary wants all suppliers to step up this kind of support to avoid resorting to forced fitting. Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart said: "Switching users onto a prepayment plan should only ever be a very last resort and suppliers have a duty to exhaust all other avenues. It cannot be right that, at a time when consumers need compassionate treatment more than ever, so many are being let down in this way. “The Government will continue to do all we can to ensure families and households stay warm this winter and we’re taking urgent action to bring about greater transparency when it comes to bad energy supplier practice. "Concerns were also raised around the low number of vouchers being redeemed under the Government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme – meaning many vulnerable households had not had cash knocked off their energy bills. Suppliers are urged to make every attempt to make sure this happens, with the Government to publish a list of supplier redemption rates - showing who is meeting their responsibilities and who needs to do more. The Business Secretary is worried about the low uptake of customers on traditional meters in prepayment mode and has demanded more transparent reporting of voucher redemption rates. He has encouraged traditional meter replacement with smart meters as they are able to receive government support payments automatically and detect self-disconnection. Mr Shapps has written to Ofgem to ask that they do more to make sure suppliers protect vulnerable consumers. This includes revisiting their approach to enforcing supplier compliance, as well as the urgent publication of recent investigations outcomes into vulnerable customers. The Minister for Energy and Climate Graham Stuart has asked energy suppliers, Ofgem, Energy UK and Citizens Advice to meet with him at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to discuss matters further next week. The five-point plan to tackle bad behaviour by energy suppliers comprises the following actions: A call for suppliers to voluntarily stop the practice of forced prepayment switching as the answer to households struggling to pay bills and make greater effort to help the most vulnerable. Request of the release of supplier data on the number of warrant applications they have made to forcibly enter homes to install meters. Urgent publication of a list of supplier redemption rates for the Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers - showing who is meeting their responsibilities and who needs to do more. The launch of a Government public information campaign reminding and informing eligible consumers to redeem their Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers and how to do so. This will be through both advertising and direct communication channels, targeting the most vulnerable and those most likely not to have redeemed vouchers. Coordination with Ofgem ensure they take a more robust approach to the protection of vulnerable customers and conduct a review to make sure suppliers are complying with rules. The five-point plan forms part of a wider effort to ensure that energy users are protected at this challenging time and the Government is exploring longer term measures to address this.