News and features from Harborough District Council - April 2026

Weekly food waste collections set to start in November

Weekly food waste collections are being introduced to improve recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Harborough District Council will begin the service from 3 November 2026, subject to the delivery of its new food waste vehicle fleet, as part of the national Simpler Recycling reforms which are a statutory requirement by government.

Under the scheme, food waste will be collected every week, while general waste and recycling will continue to be collected fortnightly.

As part of the service launch, households will receive food waste containers and one roll of bin liners. There will be a 7-litre caddy for indoor use and a 23-litre caddy for presentation on the kerbside each week.

Food waste collected will be sent to the anaerobic digestion plant where it will be converted into biofertiliser and renewable energy.

Subscribe to garden waste collections

Subscriptions to our garden waste collection service are now open.

You can put grass cuttings, leaves, flowers, weeds, twigs and small branches in your green wheeled bin which is collected fortnightly from the kerbside outside your home.

You don't need an account and there's no sign-up to the service and recurring payments are no longer taken automatically.

The garden waste collection service charge has been frozen for the fourth year in a row and you will get collections from late March to November.

Anyone who does not renew their subscription will have their last collection this month and the green bin will remain at their property.

Does Market Harborough need a parish council? Have your say before 13 April

Residents of Market Harborough have until 13 April to have a say in our consultation looking at the future of local decision-making.

There is no parish council in Market Harborough which means Harborough District Council provides services such as parks, play areas, cemeteries and bus shelters that in other parts of the district would be provided by a parish council.

Market Harborough residents are charged for the cost of these services as special expenses. If a parish council existed, these services could be provided by the parish, ensuring that local people, businesses and communities continue to have a say in how their area is run.

With nationwide local government reorganisation, a number of district councils are looking at whether to create or change new parish councils in the unparished parts of their area.

If you’re registered to vote, you’ll be able to vote in the local poll on 30 April on this matter, so look out for your poll card which will be coming soon.

Market Harborough launches bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028

Market Harborough has officially launched its bid to become the UK Town of Culture 2028, with Harborough District Council leading a partnership of local businesses, arts organisations and community groups.

The town will submit an expression of interest to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, marking a major step in celebrating Market Harborough’s distinctive identity and strengthening pride across the community.

The UK Town of Culture competition showcases the creativity, heritage and cultural ambition of towns across the country. Up to three finalists will be shortlisted, with the winning town awarded £3 million to deliver a landmark cultural programme and two runners-up each receiving £250,000.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation on local government reorganisation

Thank you to everyone who took part in the government consultation on proposals to reorganise local government in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland which closed on 26 March.

Three proposals were consulted on, each putting forward a different model under which the existing 10 councils would be replaced with a smaller number of unitary councils delivering all services.

Government is expected to announce a decision on its preferred model in the summer.

Changes to urgent care in Harborough district

Suicide prevention: partners united and committed to be there for all of our community who need help

United and committed in tackling suicide and self-harm was the message from the first coordinated meeting of a wide range of groups and charities that gathered at a meeting in the chamber of Harborough District Council last month.

Over 40 representatives from across the public, private, voluntary and community sectors met at Harborough District Council where all partners emphasised the importance of collaborative working.

Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, said: “Suicide and self-harm are serious issues that affect families and communities across the country, including here in Harborough. 

“Prevention requires strong partnership working and all of the incredible attendees, who do so much incredible service, committed to working with partners to ensure people who are struggling feel seen, supported and able to access help when they need it.”

Scraptoft Neighbourhood Plan consultation underway until 29 April

The Scraptoft Neighbourhood Plan has been submitted by Scraptoft Parish Council to Harborough District Council for examination.

A six-week consultation on the proposed Neighbourhood Plan started on 18 March and will run until 29 April.

Volunteers on a guided walk learning about the Rewilding Harborough project

Volunteers have explored the Rewilding Harborough site during guided walks showcasing plans for large-scale nature recovery.

The tours took place over three days in March on land acquired last year near Great Bowden, close to Market Harborough. 

Rewilding Harborough is an ambitious partnership project aiming to restore nature at landscape scale by creating, restoring and connecting habitats across a 500-acre area. As well as improving biodiversity, the project will create opportunities for people to connect with nature.  

Early collaboration between Harborough District Council and Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, led to the council purchasing 133 acres of land at the heart of the project area. The investment helped establish the wider partnership and attract additional organisations to support the initiative.  

The partnership now includes Harborough District Council, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Market Harborough and the Bowdens Charity, East Mercia Rivers Trust and Anglian Water.  

Together, the partners are committed to delivering a shared vision to restore and reconnect habitats across the district, creating a resilient and healthy environment that is accessible for people and rich in wildlife. South Leicestershire contains some of the most heavily modified and nature-depleted landscapes in lowland England, with only small, isolated pockets of wildlife habitat remaining.   

Visit www.harborough.gov.uk/rewildingharborough to find out more or email rewildingproject@harborough.gov.uk if you are interested in volunteering. 

New investment in hydrotherapy facilities at Lutterworth Leisure Centre

The council will invest £80,000 towards an £87,000 project to install new hydrotherapy equipment at Lutterworth Leisure Centre. 

A hydropod and two hydrobeds will provide hydrotherapy treatments designed to support people recovering from injury, undergoing rehabilitation and the managing long-term health conditions such as arthritis, chronic pain or mobility issues.

Leisure centre operator, Everyone Active, will project manage the works and has also contributed to the new facilities. The investment reflects the council's commitment to improving opportunities for residents to live active and healthy lives.

If you're keen to give your health and wellbeing a boost, check out our community activity programmes and Active Together Harborough website.

The website has information for people of all ages and activity levels including local walking groups, activity sessions and useful links to specific programmes as well as information about local groups, exercise classes, local sporting activities, clubs and information on healthy eating and self-help.

Tell us what you think of this newsletter

Thank you to those of you who completed our one-minute reader survey last month.

The survey, which asks for views on this newsletter, is still open so if you haven't completed it yet please do and let us know your thoughts so we can make improvements. Thank you!

Local groups bring armed forces veterans together

Have you served in the armed forces at any time in your life, even just for a short time? 

Perhaps you served recently, or long ago or maybe you did national service or you were reservist? 

If the answer is yes than you are a classed as a veteran.

It doesn’t matter if you never saw operational service in a conflict zone - if you have worn the uniform you are a veteran. 

In Harborough district we value our veterans and there are a number of activities that can bring you together with other veterans for camaraderie and friendship. Find out more about our support for the armed forces community.

We have two enthusiastic and welcoming Royal British Legion (RBL) branches in Lutterworth and Market Harborough and a very sociable Royal Naval Association (RNA) branch in Market Harborough. All meet up monthly and new members are very welcome. 

To learn more about your local RBL Branch email Vicky at vlickorish@britishlegion.org.uk and for the RNA contact Pat Middleton at patriciamiddleton@hotmail.com.

In both Market Harborough and Lutterworth there are also brilliant Armed Forces and Veteran’s Breakfast Clubs (AFVBC), along with two free and very welcoming coffee mornings every month; one in each town. 

The whole armed forces community is welcome to attend these, including those who are still serving as a regular or reserve, or are a close family member of someone who is serving or was a veteran. The details are below, no need to book, just come along on the day:

• Lutterworth Veteran’s Drop-in, Churchgate Centre, Church Gate, Lutterworth, LE17 4AN.  Every Thursday at 10am

• Market Harborough Veteran’s Coffee Morning, The Roebuck, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, LE167XY.  At 9.30am on the second Tuesday of each month. 

• Lutterworth AFVBC, The Wycliffe Rooms, George Street, Lutterworth, LE17 4ED.  At 10am on the second Saturday of each month.

• Market Harborough AFVBC, The Roebuck, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough,  LE167XY.  At 9.30am on the third Saturday of each month. 

Grants worth almost £437k allocated to community improvements

The successful recipients of the latest round of our £1 million Community Grant Fund were announced in March.

More than £377,000 was awarded to community groups and organisations supporting projects that benefit residents and strengthen community engagement.

Community Grant funding is for capital projects which create lasting assets across Harborough district, such as improvements to buildings, facilities, or purchasing and installing equipment.

A further £59,600 in Section 106 funding was allocated to refurbishment costs of the Wadkins Pavilion in Thurnby and Bushby. Section 106 contributions are provided by developers for community improvements in areas where development has occurred. 

Webinars to help grant applicants

Applications are still being invited to round three of our Community Grants Fund which is open until 11 May.

Ahead of round three, our grants officers are running webinars to help potential applicants secure funding. Please note booking in advance is essential via our web form.

The webinars will take place as follows:

• 14 April at 2.30pm: Step by Step - How to complete the online application form

• 20 April at 10am: Open forum - an opportunity to ask general questions about the Community Grant process or discuss a potential project

 Full details about how to apply with supporting examples and templates are online.

Retail support programme helps local businesses thrive

Fourteen independent retailers across Harborough district have benefited from expert advice and tailored support to help strengthen and grow their businesses.

The Rise and Revive in Retail programme, supported by Harborough District Council, provided retailers with free, practical guidance to help them adapt, develop and build resilience in a competitive high street environment.

Participants received advice on a range of areas, including improving sales planning, attracting more customers through marketing and promotion, and increasing profitability.

The programme also included online skills training and access to retail grants to support business improvements.

Award winner spotlight: Frank Cooper, Volunteer of the Year (60+)

Frank Cooper won the Harborough District Community Awards ‘Volunteer of the Year (60+)’ award last year.

Frank has run the Gilmorton Lunch Club for over a decade, cooking nutritious, affordable meals for around 30 pensioners each week.

He ensures the club is accessible by arranging transport through Lutterworth Community Transport, where he also volunteers as a driver.

His dedication has created a warm, social space that many attendees say is the highlight of their week and sometimes their only outing.

Frank sourced new premises when the club lost its original venue and now there’s a waiting list, showing the impact of his commitment.

Pictured: Winner Frank Cooper with Mr Stephen Bryan, JP, High Sheriff of Leicestershire

Supporting Risk Ready Communities

Communities across Leicestershire are being offered free, expert support to become ‘risk ready’.

The new 'Risk Ready Communities' programme to help tackle threats like flooding, power outages and disease outbreaks is being led by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Resilience Forum.

Communities will receive targeted support to identify and prepare for key risks, helping to reduce the impact of emergencies and speed up recovery. The programme is open to all local residents, community groups, local councils and faith groups across LLR.   

Interested groups will get access to free webinars, workshops and in-person events to help them strengthen their community resilience. Events will run by local experts from the LRF and charity Groundwork Five Counties, which has expertise in local community outreach.   

Search local planning and enforcement decisions in your area

Are you interested in local planning issues in your area? If so, did you know that you can find current and past planning applications along with details of planning permissions recently granted on our website?

You can also search for information about why something was removed following a complaint or enforcement decision and look up details and documents relating to them.

We have a weekly list that you can search by ward or parish to find details of planning applications in your area. 

You can also search for details of enforcement cases, which may include matters of unauthorised development, changes of use, unauthorised advertisements and works to trees.

Self-service point contact point opens at our HQ

A new self‑service contact point has opened at our headquarters for an initial pilot period.

The phone and computer kiosks on the ground floor of The Symington Building in Market Harborough will provide customers with an additional way to access council services alongside the main contact centre and existing bookable face‑to‑face appointments.

Staff will be on hand to show customers how to use the computers and customers will be able to use the telephones provided to call the customer services team for support or to book an appointment if they need help with more complex issues.

Walk‑in customers will be shown how to make payments hard copy information on services and organisations including Citizens Advice, Harborough and Lutterworth Leisure Centres, Harborough Lifeline, local foodbanks, and Steady Steps will be available.

Pictured: Members of the council's Cabinet at the self-service point in The Symington Building