• Rail Freight hub latest
• Community Grants deadline
• Standing for election
• Youth Conference
• Sporting Champions initiative
• Action on stray dogs

• Latest food hygiene ratings
• Council tax setting
• Prisoner jobs event 
• Be an active bystander
• Half a million grant boost
• Apprenticeship opportunities

Voluntary and community groups have until 5pm on 01 March to apply for money to help develop and strengthen community facilities and activities. Six core grants are available to suit different project types with a value up to £4,000.

The money can be used for a variety of projects which will benefit people in local neighbourhoods including installing play equipment, replacing old community vehicles, refurbishing buildings, maintenance of grounds or pitches and covering payments such as insurance expenditure or staffing or volunteering costs.

Last year we awarded £82,000 in community grants, funding a selection of voluntary sector groups, charities and sports clubs.

To find out more use the link below:

Applications are now open for up-and-coming athletes in Blaby District to become a Sporting Champion and gain much-needed support as part of a sports talent scheme.

Now in its seventh year, Everyone Active’s Sporting Champions programme went live on Monday 13 February. It aims to help budding athletes achieve their sporting potential by providing free access to local leisure facilities.

Both Enderby Leisure and Golf Centre and Huncote Leisure Centre, run by Everyone Active in partnership with Blaby District Council, are part of the initiative along with centres in North West Leicestershire, Melton Mowbray, Oadby and Wigston and Market Harborough.

Aspiring athletes will be able to apply throughout February and until Monday 13 March by visiting the Everyone Active Sporting Champions website.

To find out more use the link below:

• Krumbs by Sherry - Private address
• Red Hill Primary School - Narborough 

Councillors will meet next week to decide on the budget for 2023/24 and set the new level of council tax.

Blaby District Council is the local authority responsible for collecting council tax from its residents but it only keeps around 9% of the money collected, with the bulk going to Leicestershire County Council (70%) and the rest split between the Police and Crime Commissioner (12%), the Fire Authority (4%) and Parish Councils where applicable (5%).

Council tax pays for around 55% of the cost of the District Council's services with the remainder coming from business rates, government grants and reserves.

This year the Council ran a Budget Consultation survey, inviting people to have their say on the level of increase which closed this week.

Of respondents some 61% were either very supportive or fairly supportive of a 2.99% rise - roughly 10p per week or £5.33 a year (based on a Band D average).

When asked if they were very supportive or fairly supportive of a £10 a year increase 42% agreed although 41% said they were not at all supportive.

At the budget setting next Wednesday, Councillors are being recommended to approve a 2.99% increase in the level of council tax Blaby District Council charges.

To read the budget and council tax reports for the meeting use the link below:

• Query a decision by a government office or agency
• Tell them about a problem affecting people in your local area
• Ask them to support a particular campaign that you feel strongly about

• School placements
• Cutting of highway verges
• Social Services
• Street Lighting
• Tips (Waste/Recycling sites)

• Highway issues
• Trading Standards
• Adult Social Care
• Libraries (in some areas only)

• Environmental Health
• Bins and Litter
• Voting and Elections
• Council Tax
• Benefits
• Planning information

• Housing
• Licensing
• Resident Support and Community Safety
• District Parks and Open Spaces

• Parish-owned parks and open spaces
• Allotments
• Cemeteries
• Parish halls

• Parish-owned sports and recreation grounds
• Libraries (in some areas only)
• Bus shelters

Are you a local business who is able to give prisoners and ex-offenders valuable work placement or employment opportunities?

In May Serco will begin operating the new Category C resettlement prison HMP Fosse Way, built on the site of the former Glen Parva Young Offenders Institution and catering for 1,715 prisoners focusing on rehabilitation and reintegration.

An important part of this is gaining employment and building skills and that's where businesses across Blaby District, Leicestershire, Rutland and even neighbouring counties come in.

Serco and Blaby District Council are inviting businesses to learn how they can get involved in employing prisoners who are on Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) as well as ex-offenders.

Representatives from firms who have already made that commitment will be on hand to explain their experience and answer questions.

The event is being held on Wednesday 08 March at the Hilton Hotel Leicester LE19 1WQ from 5.30pm to 7.30pm - booking is essential, to reserve a place email:
enterprisingblaby@blaby.gov.uk

Blaby and Hinckley and Bosworth Community Safety Partnership (CSP) have secured funding from the Home Office Safer Streets initiative to deliver active bystander training.

This training is aimed at those who work within the night-time economy and may be potential witnesses to violence against women and girls. The purpose of the training is to provide the tools and skills to act in an event and explore why quite often people don’t act. The training is also open to anyone who uses and enjoys the night-time economy and wants to help make it a safer place.

Being an active bystander means being aware of when someone’s behaviour is inappropriate or threatening and choosing to challenge it. 

Research shows that bystander intervention can be an effective way of stopping assaults before they happen, as bystanders play a key role in preventing, discouraging, and/or intervening when an act of violence has the potential to occur.

The two hour training session is free and will take place on Zoom or on MS Teams. Sessions take place on 20, 27 and 28 February and 15 March. Booking is limited on a first come first served basis and booking is through Eventbrite.

 To book use the link below:

Blaby District Council has received more than half a million pounds to help reduce harmful vehicle emissions under the banner of Let’s Go Electric.

The money, £573,701, has come through the government’s annual Air Quality Grant and will be spent on an electric conversion kit for a diesel bin lorry and the purchase of Blaby's first electric road sweeper.

These will be used specifically in the five Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in the District, Enderby, Narborough, Whetstone and the M1 corridor in Leicester Forest East and Thorpe Astley. All these areas feature major traffic routes and dense populations and while air pollutant levels do not exceed national guidelines they remain higher than the World Health Organisation advises.

The main emission concerns surround fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides and the Air Quality Grants seek to support Councils in their efforts to tackle these, as well as other emissions, creating a healthier environment for everyone.

Blaby District Council are advertising two Business Administration Apprenticeships - spread the word!
 
Local Land Charges Team (based in Narborough)
This role includes providing accurate and timely responses to requests for information under the Environmental Information Regulations, Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Legislation. Logging new search requests and taking payments.

Neighbourhood Services Team (based in Whetstone)
This role includes providing a wide range of administrative support to the neighbourhood services and assets department, including raising invoices, purchase orders, and job tickets, and be a first point of contact with our customer services team.

Ideal Apprentices will:

• have good communication, organisation and IT skills.
• be willing to work in a small but friendly team.
• be punctual and reliable with a positive attitude towards learning.
• have GCSE Maths and English (Grade 9-4 (A*-C) or L2 equivalent).