North, City, South council leaders cannot support city boundary expansion in draft reorganisation plan

Council Leaders driving a bold plan for new council structures in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland say they will be recommending that the Leicester city boundary should not be changed when councils are reorganised in 2028.

The Leaders of the Leicestershire district councils and Rutland County Council have been supporting the development of the North, City, South plan which proposes three unitary councils for the area in response to the government’s drive to reorganise councils.

An interim plan was submitted to government in March and a final submission is due in by 28 November 2025.

Leicester City Council also submitted an interim plan to government which proposed two unitary councils and a plan to expand the city boundary into parts of Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough and includes all of Oadby and Wigston. Should government accept this proposal, the city population would increase by two thirds to over 620,000 residents.

However, the Leaders of the North, City, South group of councils say there’s no strong business case, including financial rationale, for changing the city boundary. A summer engagement exercise showed strong support for their proposal and considerable opposition to the city boundary expansion.

They’re also concerned the change would add complexity and risk delaying devolution and its associated funding. The Leaders say that due to public interest in the city boundary issue, they wanted to let communities and stakeholders know their view.

Draft strategic partner vision for rewilding programme in Harborough District published

A draft strategic partner vision for Rewilding Harborough, an ambitious programme to restore nature-depleted areas to the north of Market Harborough and other key sites across the district, has been published by Harborough District Council.

The council and partner organisations, neighbouring landowners and specialist organisations and agencies have set out how: “Together we aim to restore and reconnect habitats at scale across the district, creating a resilient and healthy environment, accessible for people, teeming with nature and rich with opportunities for learning, health and wellbeing.”

A specific vision for the key strategic location in the Rewilding Harborough programme to the north of Market Harborough outlines how a publicly accessible new open space for the physical and mental wellbeing of all local residents and visitors will be created, therefore developing a lasting legacy for the area. The vision goes on to state:

“We will bring nature back to where it has been lost by restoring terrestrial and freshwater habitats at scale. Our vision is to create an interconnected network of species-rich landscapes extending from the River Welland to the Grand Union Canal. This network will comprise of a diverse range of species-rich habitats, from grasslands, woodlands and scrub to newly created ponds and watercourses, and restored stretches of the Welland, all working together to support thriving wildlife and a healthier natural environment for local communities.

“We will reintroduce natural processes across the landscape, reconnecting the river with its floodplain, allowing trees and flowering plants to regenerate naturally, and reestablishing grazing systems that mimic those found in nature. These changes will help restore healthy ecosystems and build the climate resilience our landscapes need for the future.”

     Have your say on our new draft Community Wellbeing Plan

      3. Supporting the development of affordable and sustainable housing

      4. Promoting green initiatives and climate change resilience

      5. Transforming council services to be more responsive, inclusive and efficient

Alongside other councils in Leicestershire, we face local government reorganisation from 2028. This will impact our future and our services, as well as local communities. The Community Wellbeing Plan will help to address this change.

Public engagement started in July and will run until 30 September 2025. It includes a questionnaire, outreach work and events involving the Youth Council, parish councils and parish meetings, voluntary and community sector organisations and other stakeholders. 

Please send us your views by completing our questionnaire.

Views and opinions shared over the summer will be fed back to councillors in the autumn alongside the final plan.

New nesting platform for peregrines in sight

Initiative to enhance green spaces across the Harborough district

We have launched an initiative - funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) - to identify public open spaces that could be enhanced for local residents with ‘community masterplans.’

Our approach will involve engagement with community representatives, local councillors and parish/town councils in several locations which have had proposals put forward by developers for considerable housing growth in the future.

The goal is to develop a range of well-researched, community-supported projects that will improve residents’ quality of life and provide communities with valuable new recreational areas. Some £80,000 of UKSPF funding has been allocated by the council to develop these local community masterplans. 

Veterans invited to get together for monthly meet up

All armed forces veterans and their families are invited to a monthly coffee morning every month. 

Ex-service personnel and their relatives are welcome to come along for free tea, coffee and biscuits every second Tuesday of the month.

The next meet up is on Tuesday 14 October. It's free to attend - just come along from 10am to 11.30am at The Roebuck on Rockingham Road in Market Harborough, LE16 7XY.

The Home Gadgets Team provide a wide variety of free-of-charge gadgets that can tackle small problems, creating a big difference. Items available might include digital calendar clocks, multi-openers or smart doorbells.

To make a referral or discuss how we may be able to assist, visit the Lightbulb website or call 0116 250 3023.

Do you know a young person who likes to have their say on important matters?

The meetings will then alternate between Lutterworth and Market Harborough on Thursdays each month.

We provide transport to the meetings through Lutterworth Community Transport and Market Harborough Community Transport to make them as accessible as possible.

If you are a young person aged 11-18 or know of any young people you think might be interested in attending future meetings, then contact our Youth Engagement Officer at youthvoice@harborough.gov.uk.

Although we have participants from across the district, we would also like to make sure young people from all secondary schools and colleges in the area are represented, particularly in areas around Kibworth Mead Academy and Thomas Estley Community College.

Major improvements to tennis courts at 90-year-old Welland Park

Share your views on our town centres

Enjoy Heritage Open Days district-wide from 12 to 21 September

A host of local heritage and cultural sites will open to the public for free as the Heritage Open Days Festival returns this month.  

The festival is England’s biggest and most popular heritage event and a national celebration of amazing historic spaces, cultural stories and traditions. It’s a great opportunity for people to explore venues that either usually charge or are not open to visitors at all. 

We have worked with local organisers across Harborough district to support and develop an exciting programme of interesting historical places to visit, for free, all opening between 12 - 21 September 2025.

The festival directory is now live and features talks and walks, tours and open days to welcome everyone curious about their local heritage and history.

This year’s theme is architecture and is especially relevant as The Symington Building in Market Harborough undergoes a programme of renovation works. Visitors can take a tour inside the former factory to learn more, see photos and film from the archives and hear about the corsets that travelled the globe.