Category: Councils

It seems very odd to say that I’m much busier now than before the lockdown, but it’s very definitely the case.

Districts across the country, like HDC, have been given funding to help businesses open on 15 June. Changes are being made in Market Harborough, Lutterworth, Kibworth Beauchamp and Fleckney. Here in Kibworth Beauchamp, temporary changes are being implemented from Monday 15 June. On High Street, the parking bay will be used to ensure 2m social distancing from other shoppers when walking along between Smeeton Road and the disabled space, which will remain.

A quorate council of 4 parish councillors last met in person, with social distancing, in late March, just as lockdown commenced, in order to delegate full authority to the clerk while the council was unable to meet in person, as advised by the National Association of Local Councils.

The parish council has held virtual Zoom meetings at 7pm on the first Thursdays in April, May and June. All were quorate despite members having to use the new technology. The agendas were published online and in the parish notice boards, together with details of how the public could participate.

The two parish councils are reviewing the Kibworths’ Neighbourhood Plan, which was formally adopted on 25 January 2018. This review follows the adoption of the new Harborough Local Plan in April 2019, and relevant updates to national planning policy, which have given more weight to Neighbourhood Plans.

The good news for many residents is that on Monday 18 May Leicestershire County Council will be re-opening seven of their fourteen Recycling and Household Waste Sites (RHWS).

The morning of 23 April dawned and as chairman of Kibworth Harcourt Parish Council, I prepared to go to Jubilee Green on Main Street to lower the Union flag, that has been up for a year and replace it with the red cross on white background of the St George’s England flag. I had carefully stored the flag together with the key to unlock the small access panel on the rear of the flagpole so the mechanism holding the flag halyard could be loosened. The Parish had bought two new flags to replace the previous worn ones. We had raised the new Union flag and it was now time to do the same for the England flag on the national saint’s day.

Kibworth Beauchamp Parish Council has now installed four CCTV cameras covering the eastern end of High Street and Smeeton Road from the village centre roundabout to School Road in Kibworth Beauchamp.

Although staying at home like others, I’ve still had a variety of council meetings to attend – albeit virtually. The county council uses Skype, and I gave a report on 24 March to the Cabinet, as chairman of a Scrutiny Review panel looking at how the Children and Families directorate engages with Multi-Academy Trusts.

Residents in Harborough District can now refer themselves, a family member that requires help or someone in the community who needs help during the Coronavirus crisis to the council’s Community Hub.