News and features from Harborough District Council - November 2025

Award winner spotlight: Ryan Johnson, Young Person of the Year

Pictured: Ryan Johnson with Mr Stephen Bryan, JP, High Sheriff of Leicestershire.

Congratulations to Ryan Johnson, winner of the Harborough District Community Awards ‘Young Person of the Year (11-18)’ award at Lutterworth College last month.

Ryan volunteers extensively across the community as a Scout Young Leader, Police Cadet and campsite helper, giving up weekends and evenings to support others. 

A nominator said: “Many of the young scouts enjoy his company and look up to him, which makes us extremely proud.” 

Well done to runners-up Book Buddies from Robert Smyth Academy and Jacob Hall from Abel Camps. 

People from across the Harborough district were recognised for their important contributions to their communities at the Harborough District Community Awards in October.

Look ahead to Christmas - dates for your diary

As ever, a number of events are being planned as part of the Christmas festivities here in Harborough district - here are some dates for your diary:

• Saturday 22 November, 5pm to 8pm, Christmas lights switch on event in Market Harborough with music, Christmas carols and street entertainment. **Road closures will be in place from 4pm until 9pm and affect St Mary's Road at the junction of Adam and Eve Street, Northampton Road at the bridge and Coventry Road at the junction of High Street. Local businesses have been informed.

• Friday 28 November, from 3.30pm, Lutterworth Christmas lights switch on, central Lutterworth including festive favourites such as Santa's grotto, fun fair, mulled wine, Lutterworth Town Band, a hog roast, on stage entertainment and the switch on itself at around 7.30pm, followed by what has become the traditional fireworks display!

• Friday 28 November, late night shopping in Market Harborough

• Saturday 29 November, Artisan Fair on The Square, Market Harborough

• Thursday 4 December, Farmers Market on The Square, Market Harborough

• Thursday 4 December, Christmas Fayre, Kibworth

• Friday 5 December, Christmas Fayre on The Square, Market Harborough

• Saturday 6 December, Broughton Astley Christmas Fayre and lights switch on

• Saturday December 13, Christmas Artisan Fair on The Square, Market Harborough

While you're browsing the many fantastic retailers in Market Harborough there will be a chance to vote for your favourite festive Christmas window display too.

A number of switch-on events are being held across Harborough district. Please check arrangements in your local town or village with your parish council.

Late night shopping on 28 November

Look forward to an evening of late night festive shopping, music and in-store promotions in Market Harborough on 28 November.

Browse the great range of shops and drop into one of the many eateries that will be taking part.

There will be free car parking from 6 to 9pm. 

**Coming soon: We are installing brand new, easy to use parking payment machines in our car parks. They will be installed over the coming weeks starting from 24 November in Market Harborough. Further information is available on our website. 

Sports Direct set to open in Market Harborough

Sports Direct will open a brand-new store in Market Harborough before Christmas in the vacant retail unit formerly operated by Poundland, located at The Commons car park.

The vacant unit is owned by Harborough District Commercial Services Limited which was set up by Harborough District Council as a limited company in 2019, as part of the council’s drive to support a vibrant economy in the district.

The target date for the store opening to shoppers is 28 November 2025 - just in time for Christmas.

District pays respects at Remembrance events

Harborough district marked this year's Remembrance Day and Armistice Day with a number of events.

The Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire, members of the Royal British Legion and senior councillors attended Market Harborough’s service of remembrance at St. Dionysius Church on Sunday 9 November. 

The service was followed by a parade along the High Street to the war memorial where the act of remembrance and two-minute silence took place. The parade included a marching band, local cadet units, scouts, guides, brownies and cubs. A contingent of armed forces veterans from across the local area also attended.

A short service of remembrance took take place on 11 November in Market Harborough near the war memorial on the Market Square to mark the moment when the guns fell silent on the Western Front in 1918.

In Lutterworth, St Mary’s Church held a remembrance service followed by the annual parade to the Memorial Gardens for a service of remembrance and a wreath laying ceremony. Harborough District Council's Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Jo Asher, attended and laid a wreath on behalf of the people of the district. The Royal British Legion held a short service at the war memorial gardens on 11 November to mark the two-minute silence.

Other services and acts of remembrance took place across the district on 9 and 11 November.

Plan to reorganise councils to be submitted this month

A draft plan to reorganise councils, accelerate devolution and unlock economic growth across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland was published in October, with a final version to be submitted to government later this month.

The North, City, South plan sets out a vision for three unitary councils and a mayoral strategic authority to lead the area into a more prosperous future.

The three unitary authorities, which would deliver all council services, would cover North Leicestershire and Rutland, South Leicestershire, and Leicester City. Each would have a population of around 400,000 residents.

Developed jointly by Leicestershire's district and borough councils and Rutland County Council, the draft plan proposes to:

• create more prevention focused services to improve lives and reduce demand

• save over £44 million a year
• keep councils connected to communities
• deliver devolution at pace by holding a Mayoral election in 2027
• build on, and accelerate, economic growth by identifying strengths then using devolved powers and funding to support jobs and infrastructure investment
• retain Leicester's current city boundary

Government will decide on next steps in the new year which could include consulting residents on the North, City, South plan, one or more of the alternative proposals set out by the county and city councils or all three.

Net zero first for new homes in Kibworth Beauchamp

An innovative housing development that is the first in Harborough district to be verified as net zero has been completed. 

The development at Sidings Yard on Station Street in Kibworth Beauchamp includes six one-bed apartments and four two-bedroom bungalows.

Developer Clarity Midlands Limited worked with Harborough District Council’s planning team to produce an energy efficiency strategy to guide net zero measures in each home. The properties generate as much renewable energy as its occupants need and have the latest energy efficiency features. These include:

• Solar panels that generate electricity for the homes with the ability to sell surplus energy back to the national grid

• Batteries that store surplus energy to be used when it is needed

• Smart technology that adapts to the occupants’ use of energy to automatically turn the heating, lighting and hot water on and off as needed

• Infrared heating panels and underfloor heating that reduce energy consumption and costs

• Electric vehicle charging facilities using electricity drawn from the solar panels

• A plant room with independent batteries and inverters for each apartment

Although individual net zero properties have been built in Harborough district before, Sidings Yard is believed to be the first multi-property development to achieve this status.

Car club puts the brakes on emissions and drives savings

An electric car club is attracting new members who are seeing the benefits of having the use of a car without the costs of car ownership, while improving local air quality and cutting harmful emissions.

The first of its kind in Leicestershire, Tilton Electric Car Club is run by local people for the benefit of residents in and around Tilton on the Hill and Halstead.

Set up as a pilot project in 2021, the club had support from Harborough District Council which installed EV chargers. The club became fully constituted in 2023, again with council support to buy an online booking system.

The club now offers members the chance to hire and drive an electric vehicle themselves or hire it as a non-driver and make use of volunteer drivers.

Residents can hire a car for any amount of time, including weekends away, holidays or appointments.

Some members have hired a vehicle while their own was in the garage for repair while others who are no longer able to drive or are temporarily unable to drive have enlisted the help of a volunteer driver.

This has helped some members to reconnect with friends and enjoy activities they had given up due to lack of transport.

The car club was originally set up with a Motobility Grant, but when that came to an end residents took on the challenge of keeping the club running themselves.

The car club has flexible membership options and is run on a not-for-profit basis for the local community.

Tilton on the Hill has two EV charging points that are available for anyone with an EV.

If you’re interested in setting up a car club to cut emissions, improve air quality and save money, then get in touch with Helen Chadwick, Environment Coordinator, at: h.chadwick@harborough.gov.uk

Event promotes warmer homes and greener homes

Warmer and greener homes was the theme of a free drop-in event held earlier this month at The Symington Building in Market Harborough.

The event on 1 November was organised by Harborough Community Energy (a sub-group of Sustainable Harborough Community) and Harborough District Council, with a number of partners, aimed at providing energy efficiency and money saving tips for households.

Around 60 people attended the event and were able to get advice on cutting energy bills along with energy saving tips on DIY, home improvement and retrofitting measures.

There was information from local experts on installing energy efficiency measures from boilers to insulation and a chance to pick up some energy saving freebies. 

Attendees also had the opportunity to hear about how Harborough Community Energy is seeking to create more community owned renewable energy projects in the Harborough district.

For details of future events which are set to include a display at St Dionysius Church from 28 November to 2 December and Market Harborough Christmas Fayre on 5 December, visit Harborough Community Energy's website at: www.harboroughcommunityenergy.co.uk

Progress towards a new local plan

Cabinet has approved a report confirming the intention to consider the new draft local plan at a council meeting in spring of next year.

Progressing the new draft local plan is a priority, not least to ensure the council has a five-year housing land supply in place.

An update published in October confirmed that the district’s five-year housing land supply has dropped slightly from 3.5 to 3.1 years, as a direct result of changes in government policy, something that is beyond the council’s control.

The council has found itself in this position, alongside many other councils, following changes to the government’s housing targets and new Planning Policy Framework as part of the government’s plans to build 1.5million homes during the term of this parliament (by 2029).

Welland Park undergoing improvement works

A number of improvements have been made in Welland Park in Market Harborough.

The park, which hosts weekly junior park runs and is home to a popular community café, recently celebrated its 90th anniversary. 

Through UKSPF funding, the park has had a new pétanque court, table tennis tables, signs and the restoration of the old Bell Tower in the Rose Garden is nearly complete. 

The tennis courts are receiving a £70,000 refurbishment funded by the Lawn Tennis Association with a new free booking system introduced to allow more opportunities for players to use the courts and have certainty of playing time.

The dog walking area is having £17,000 spent on resurfacing to ensure the facility can be easily used all year round. 

As part of an ongoing maintenance programme the equipment in the play area is being refurbished. So far, there have been upgrades to the seating in the sand pit area, the sale unit, toddler roundabout and rodeo unit. The old pirate ship and multi-play unit and springer will be replaced. 

The zip wire in Welland Park as well as the zip wires in other play areas across the Harborough district are also being repaired by the council. 

Youth Council looks to use funding to support other young people

Our Youth Council has been allocated £10,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund money to spend. 

A recent focus group made up of Youth Council members met with Becca Powell our Youth Engagement Officer and our Economic Development Team, to think about how they can spend the money.

They came up with ideas including running a workshop for students in the district around money and finances to support inclusion, skills and employability. Further work on the proposal will take place in the coming weeks.

The Youth Council also decided they would like to introduce formal roles including chair, vice-chair, secretary, treasurer, media and communications officer and outreach and inclusion officer. Youth Council members who wanted to stand for a role spent time writing their manifestos and at the last Youth Council meeting they shared these with their peers. The Youth Council members are now voting for which candidate they would like in which role and these will be announced at the next meeting. 

Five of the Youth Council members who made up a judging panel for the Young Person of the year award did a great job at the Community Awards evening in October, sharing the fantastic work of the nominees. They also shared the successes of the Youth Council so far.

If you are a young person aged 11-18 who lives or goes to school in the Harborough district and are interested in joining the Youth Council, or if you know anyone who might be interested in getting involved, please contact Becca at youthvoice@harborough.gov.uk.

Winter preparedness - flooding

We have appointed a new Climate Impact Officer to support our work in helping communities adapt to increasingly frequent extreme weather. 

Carol Thay, our new recruit, will support our journey towards net zero, promote sustainability and help communities adapt to extreme heat and flooding. 

Carol's initial focus will be on flooding, working closely with flood warden groups, flood hubs, and residents impacted by recent flood events. She will work with Leicestershire County Council, which is the lead local flood authority and the Environment Agency, among others. 

Flooding is becoming more frequent across the district, affecting more homes and businesses. Building resilience and preparedness is key to protecting our communities. Carol is already making links with existing flood groups, parishes and flood wardens.

Flood wardens play a vital role in communities across the district so if you’re interested in becoming a flood warden, please contact Carol at flooding@harborough.gov.uk or Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Resilience Team at llrprepared@leics.gov.uk.

If being a flood warden isn’t for you, but you’d still like to get involved, you may like to volunteer to support existing groups. Volunteers are essential in responding to emergencies, including flooding. Support is on hand through training, equipment and information. If you’re interested in volunteering or would like more information, please email volunteers@harborough.gov.uk.

Here are some things you can do:

• Sign up for flood alerts 
• Report a flood
• Check flood risk maps
• Check for flood warnings by postcode and assess if you’re at risk 
• Check before you travel – find travel updates online or by listening and following the local radio 
• Stay up to date with weather warnings and weather information 
• Learn about flood Insurance
• Information is also available on the Local Resilience Forum website

Winter preparedness - keeping your home warm

With colder weather with us, now is a good time to remember the impact cold weather can have on our health. Health professionals advise that it is important to heat the rooms you use to at least 18°C if you can, particularly if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease. Other advice includes:

• Adding extra layers of clothing to keep warm 

• Heat all the rooms you use and try to heat the living room during the day and then your bedroom just before you go to sleep

• Keep curtains open during the day to allow warmth into your home but close them at dusk

• Keep the windows closed to block out draughts and help keep heat in

• Check on frail and older neighbours, especially those living alone or who have health conditions to make sure they are safe, warm and well. 

• Citizens Advice offer energy advice including help if you are struggling to pay your bills and support with reading your energy meter. 

• Many organisations, including Age UK, offer energy saving tips to save money

• The county council provides energy efficiency grants that you may be eligible for and the Home Energy Retrofit Offer (HERO) provides advice to households on how to improve energy efficiency.

Tip us off on fly-tipping

Did you know that if you spot fly-tipped rubbish in Harborough district you can report it to us quickly and easily?

You may have seen our previous Tip-off campaign but, as a reminder, reporting fly-tipping is as simple as going to our website.

Just complete our short form with a few details about the location of the fly-tipped rubbish and we'll look into it.

If it’s on public land we’ll clear it up and if it’s private land then we’ll work with the landowner who is responsible for removing it.

Report litter, graffiti and flyposting

You can also report litter or someone dropping litter, graffiti and flyposting to us quickly online.

If you have footage (e.g. from a dashcam) of somebody dropping litter from a vehicle then this can be submitted as evidence. It is illegal to drop litter, including cigarette butts and chewing gum, in any open public place. Anyone dropping litter can be fined and failure to pay the fine can lead to court proceedings.

We will also arrange for graffiti on public property to be removed. The timescale for its removal will depend upon the content. We will also remove illegally posted adverts and posters so let us know if you see any.

New video aims to promote Harborough district to visitors

A new video promoting Harborough district as a visitor destination to support the visitor economy has gone live. 

Visit Harborough's new video showcases highlights of what Harborough district has to offer. 

Focusing on stunning places to visit, great things to do, welcoming places to stay and a taster of our local food and drink scene, the video encourages people to stay a little longer for a weekend break.

Harborough district is a great place to visit, with amazing attractions and exciting events all here waiting for visitors (and residents) to enjoy.

By-election in Logan ward

A by-election is taking place in Logan ward of Market Harborough on Thursday 18 December.

If you live in Logan ward please check your polling card for information.

Polling stations will be at the Congregational Hall and will be open from 7am to 10pm on the day. Valid photo ID is required to vote.

Tree planting planned to mark inaugural year of Rewilding Harborough project

A tree will be planted to formally recognise 2025 as the year that work on the Rewilding Harborough project began.

The tree will be planted in mid-December and volunteers, partners and other parties will be invited to attend. Details of who will plant the tree will be announced nearer the time.

Our Rewilding Harborough project aims to restore nature on 130 acres of land to the north of Market Harborough and Great Bowden, bringing benefits to wildlife, people and communities. It is a project expected to be of national significance. The council’s purchase has been a catalyst for wider partner involvement which has already brought the total rewilding project to over 500 acres.

With the support of Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and other stakeholders, the Market Harborough Rewilding Project will work to restore a nature-depleted area, reestablishing natural processes and building a network of nature sites where wildlife can thrive.

People will be at the heart of this project, with the site being publicly accessible and the creation of opportunities for learning, skills training and the wider benefits that enjoying nature can bring.