The past month has been so busy it has flown by. I am glad the election is over, and I can fully return to the day job. I must also congratulate Peter Bedford MP on becoming the first MP for Mid Leicestershire.
On Friday 14th June, I was invited to the Bradgate Park Volunteer BBQ and thoroughly enjoyed the venison burgers! It was great to chat with so many volunteers who support the work of the park; we couldn’t manage without them.
On 24th June, I represented the Leader at the Stand Easy Memorial at County Hall to mark Armed Forces Day and raise the flag in remembrance of past and present members of His Majesty’s Armed Forces.
I have also attended the Leicestershire Music Hub summer concert at De Montfort Hall, the Beacon Voice Choir summer concert at the Attenborough Arts Centre, and the Care to Dance performance at the Sue Townsend Theatre.
The Beacon Voice Choir and Care to Dance are all programs that support our children in care.
On a personal note, on Sunday 14th July, I completed the 10k Race for Life at Victoria Park to raise money for Cancer. My time was slow at 1 hour 29 minutes, but I was incredibly pleased to raise £165 for cancer research.
Nick Rushton
The Leader of the County Council, Nick Rushton, informed the county council at the meeting on 10th July, that he had been diagnosed with cancer and will soon be undergoing treatment.
Nick will be taking a step back as Leader whilst he has his treatment and to take some time to recover.
During this period, as Deputy Leader, I will be stepping up to be Acting Leader of the County Council.
Ofsted
Children and Family Services in Leicestershire have been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted. In a report published on 12th July, inspectors praised the work to build “strong and long-lasting relationships” with children and families which leads to many families achieving “positive changes” in their lives. They also said a culture has been created by Leicestershire County Council’s Children and Family Services which puts the “experiences and progress of children at the heart of social work practice.”
Their report follows a three-week in-depth inspection in April. The deep dive included inspectors speaking to some children and their parents and carers and interviewing staff across the department. They also looked at the work to protect and safeguard children, work that enables families to stay together, and the experiences and progress of both children in care and care leavers.
The impact of leaders on social work and practice of all front-line staff who work directly with children, young people and their families was also put under the spotlight.
As Lead Member for the service at the county council, I am absolutely delighted to have received an outstanding rating. This judgement is testament to the incredible efforts of staff, managers, and partners who work tirelessly to improve outcomes for children and families here in Leicestershire.
I am also grateful for the support and feedback families have given us which has helped shape the way we do things.
You can read the report here: files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50252253
Family Hubs
More than 7,000 families have been supported since Leicestershire County Council’s first ever ‘Family Hub’ opened its doors just over a year ago.
In 12 months, 37 hubs have opened in the county. They have hosted 741 stay-and-play groups, 180 volunteers have given up around 7,000 hours of their time and nearly 43 tonnes of food have been saved from landfill thanks to ‘community fridges’ based at the sites.
Today, there are 37 hubs, including 21 family hub buildings and 16 libraries, as well as a new website that serves as a virtual space where people can access information all in one place.
The next steps include installing public access computers in 20 Family Hub buildings, so people can access the Family Hubs website ( https://www.familyhubsleicestershire.org.uk/ ) which includes information about local family hubs and a what’s on guide for events held at them.
Road Surfacing
Highways teams across Leicestershire are in the midst of a £2.7 million summer maintenance programme of ‘surface dressing’ more than 760,000 square metres of road – the equivalent of more than 100 football pitches. The surface dressing started in April, and it is hoped this will be completed by September 2024.
The roads that are marked for work within my division are:
- Newtown Linford (Markfield) A50 from the roundabout at Field Head to slip roads to/from Whitwick Road - Southbound dual only from near Field Head roundabout to Markfield
- Newtown Linford (Markfield) Whitwick Road slip road from Whitwick To A50
- Thurcaston Anstey Lane from 30mph Thurcaston - Anstey Lane, Anstey, at a joint on the Anstey side of the bridge.
Holiday Clubs
Holiday clubs are being held again in Leicestershire this summer for children and young people eligible for free school meals. Leicestershire County Council run the programme along with Active Together as part of the government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. The sessions available range from arts and crafts to dance and music.
Families can sign up now for the free, funded sessions which include activities such as arts and crafts, sports, dance, games, and music, alongside a nutritious meal. Eligible parents and carers will have received an e-voucher.
HAF providers include local schools, voluntary and community organisations, and childcare providers. HAF junior gym and swim memberships are also available for 11 – 16s at some leisure centres across the county.
There are also some places available for a small charge for those children who do not qualify for free school meals. Further details can be found here on our website by searching for HAF on the council’s website: www.leicestershire.gov.uk
If you have any issues or concerns, I’m here to help.
