I would like to wish you a very Happy New Year. I hope you had a nice Christmas and managed to find time to rest and spend time with family and friends.
As I write my report, we have all been advised that the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus is spreading more rapidly than previous variants. Residents are being advised to ensure that you take the two vaccines and the booster jab, when offered. You can book either of your vaccines or booster vaccine through this website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ or via the telephone on 119. The vaccine can help prevent serious illness. Mandatory mask wearing in public spaces is in force and the guidance is not due to be revised until the 5th January 2022. Please ensure you minimise your contact with other people and isolate if you feel unwell and book a Covid test: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test
Our website has up to date information on dealing with Coronavirus.
F20
Leaders from the 20 lowest funded county councils in England have written to the Secretary of State proposing a short-term fix. A cross-party group of the lowest funded councils across the country have called for a £300 million temporary fix to level up local government finance.
Leicestershire County Council is leading the campaign calling on the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC) to inject the extra money to support the very lowest funded authorities in the country. Leicestershire leader, Nick Rushton, and the leaders of the lowest funded councils – known as F20 - have written to the DLUHC Secretary of State, Michael Gove, setting out why the additional funding is needed.
The letter, also sent to the Minister for Levelling Up and Communities, Kemi Badenoch, follows a meeting earlier this month of the leaders of this new cross-party grouping of the very lowest funded councils, including York, Bath and NE Somerset, Luton, Warrington and Hampshire, who all agreed to put their weight behind the campaign.
You can read more details on Fairer Funding by reading the UK Onward Report: https://www.ukonward.com/reports/fair-funding/
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
New restrictions have come into force after a case of avian influenza (bird flu) was confirmed in chickens at a poultry farm near Barrow-upon-Soar in Charnwood.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has now put 3km and 10km Temporary Control Zones in place surrounding the infected premises to limit the risk of the disease spreading, which means it is a legal requirement for all bird-keepers in the affected area to follow increased biosecurity measures.
Movement of domestic poultry and other captive birds is not allowed, and all birds kept by people living within the control zone must be housed in enclosures which do not allow birds to fly in and out or have any contact with wild birds.
More information, including a map of the zones and details of the restrictions, can be found at www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu-cases-and-disease-control-zones-in-england
Queen’s Green Canopy
Organisations and individuals across the county are being invited to ‘plant a tree for the jubilee’ to mark next years’ Platinum Jubilee. The tree will form part of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC), a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
Anyone wishing to plant their own tree for the Jubilee, can access trees through free and affordable tree schemes offered by the Woodland Trust. If you are a landowner, visit Leicestershire County Council’s website and search ‘Free trees’. Single trees can also be purchased at low cost from the Woodland Trust online shop - https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees Further information about the QGC is available: www.queensgreencanopy.org
Consultations
Strategic Plan
A consultation has been launched, enabling residents to give their views on a major blueprint for council services. From tackling climate change to conserving our heritage and keeping people safe, Leicestershire County Council is encouraging residents to have their say on its aims for the next four years.
Creating jobs, celebrating diverse communities, improving transport and supporting children to thrive, and lots more, are also set out in the authority’s refreshed ‘strategic plan’.
The consultation is open until 21st January 2022 and can be found at: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/have-your-say/current-engagement/leicestershire-county-council%E2%80%99s-strategic-plan-2022
Budget
Leicestershire County Council has unveiled its latest budget proposals as it continues to press the case for the levelling up of local government finances.
The authority has warned that the cost of looking after vulnerable children and adults is stretching its finances to unprecedented levels and it remains uncertain whether government social care reforms, as recently set out, will provide enough financial support to meet the demand.
To help it balance the books, the council is proposing to increase its share of residents’ council tax bills by 3% from April 2022 - a 2% rise in the basic levy and 1% ringfenced to contribute towards adult social care. For every 1% increase in Council Tax, this provides an additional £3.4m (per year) to the County Council and costs each household in a band D property an additional £14.10 per year.
The council’s proposals set out plans for the next financial year but also looks forward to 2025/26. Although austerity may have ended, funding available to the council is not keeping up with the level of service growth required.
That, coupled with the continued impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to additional costs, and means that the authority is left in an extremely challenging financial position. The council’s medium-term financial strategy (MTFS) sets out the need to save £100 million by 2025/26 with more than £46 million of that sum yet to be identified. The council’s cabinet approved a two-month public consultation on its MTFS when it met on Tuesday 14th December and can be found here: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/have-your-say/current-engagement/budget-proposals-2022-26 The consultation is open until 16th January 2022.
The proposals will also be debated by councillors through the scrutiny process before being voted on by the full council, on 23rd February 2022, after the views of the public, businesses and councillors have been discussed.
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