Get up to date with Harborough news and events!
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News and features from Harborough District Council - August 2025 |
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Cllr Phil Knowles Leader of Harborough District Council |
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I hope you’ve been having a great summer so far - it's certainly racing by, so I’d like to ask you to pause for a moment to think about the people who go the extra mile in your local community.
We’re rapidly approaching the deadline for our Harborough District Community Awards (27 August) and while nominations have been flowing in steadily, we’re really keen to get more from different parts of the district from outside our larger towns.
We’d also like more nominations for Young Person of the Year and Volunteer of the Year (19-59 years). We know there are lots of amazing people doing special things for communities right across the district, so please do nominate them – our awards are a chance to thank them and celebrate their contribution. We have published our new draft Community Wellbeing Plan mapping out our priorities for what may be the last two years of Harborough District Council.
If it is to be our last two years, now is the time to make change. That’s why we are asking for your views on our plan; to be sure we’re concentrating on the things you want us to. Let us know what you think - we want to hear from you.
As local government reorganisation progresses, I am standing up for Harborough. Speculation continues as to what the final structures will look like, but we know local government reorganisation and devolution are priorities for the Westminster government.
One thing is absolutely certain - I will not support and have not agreed to support extending Leicester city boundaries or putting any of Harborough District into an expanded city. I don't believe our residents support moving into a form of Greater Leicester.
As you’ll see below, we’ve made more major investments in organisations around the district that will benefit local communities for years to come. I'm really proud of what we're doing to support these initiatives that make a difference to people's lives.
And, finally, if you can, please join one of the VJ Day 80th anniversary commemoration events in Lutterworth or Market Harborough on 15 August. Let's get together to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Far East all those years ago. Best wishes, Phil |
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Still time to nominate local heroes for our 2025 Community Awards |  |
There's still time for you to nominate individuals, groups and businesses who go above and beyond to make Harborough district a better place for a special award.
Our Community Awards 2025 will celebrate people across all of Harborough district. From our busy towns to quiet villages, from rural lanes to local playing fields — we know amazing things are happening everywhere in our district.
Whether it's in a small village, on a local farm, in a parish hall or school, we want to hear about them. So, if you know someone who is making a difference in your community as a volunteer, in a community group, business, or a young person going above and beyond, then please nominate them for our Community Awards 2025.
Let’s make sure every community across Harborough is recognised and celebrated including those in workplaces and businesses that are undertaking community work. The categories are:
- Voluntary and Community Group of the Year
- Young Person of the Year (11-18yrs, chosen by the Youth Council)
- Volunteer of the Year (19-59yrs)
- Volunteer of the Year (age 60+yrs)
- The Citizenship Cup (replacing the Special Recognition Award)
- Stronger Together: Workplace Impact (new award)
- Business-Community Impact of the Year Award (new award)
Shortlisted nominees will be invited to the evening awards ceremony on 9 October, where the finalists will be thanked publicly and the winners and runners-up will be announced.
Details of the individual awards and criteria and how to nominate before midnight on the 27 August. 2025
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| | Have your say on our new draft Community Wellbeing Plan |
We're inviting you to have your say on our new draft Community Wellbeing Plan.
The ‘Harborough District Council Community Wellbeing Plan 2026 – 2028’ sets out priorities for action, drawing on the council’s vision and ten-year Corporate Plan, which was refreshed in February.
It focuses on five top priorities or ‘pillars’: - Enhancing youth activities and engagement opportunities
- Empowering communities through asset ownership and local decision-making
- Supporting the development of affordable and sustainable housing
- Promoting green initiatives and climate change resilience
- Transforming council services to be more responsive, inclusive and efficient
The plan, which covers the period from April 2026 to March 2028, also emphasises the council’s role as an enabler, supporting communities to be more proactive in addressing the issues that affect them. The council, alongside others in Leicestershire, is facing local government reorganisation from 2028. This will impact the future of the organisation and its services, as well as local communities, and the Community Wellbeing Plan will help to address this change.
Public engagement started on 31 July and will run until 30 September 2025 and includes a questionnaire, outreach work and events involving the Youth Council, parish councils and parish meetings, voluntary and community sector organisations and other stakeholders. Send us your views by completing our questionnaire.
Details of public events where you can come along and discuss the plan and anything else you'd like to talk about with council officers and councillors, are set out below:
20 August, 11.30-3pm, Station Road car park, Lutterworth 10 September, 3-6pm, Coplow Centre, Uppingham Road, Billesdon Views and opinions shared over the summer will be fed back to councillors in the autumn alongside the final plan.
Thank you for taking part in our consultations Thank you to everyone who took part in consultations on our Open Spaces Strategy review and Car Parking Strategy review, both of which ended in July.
Your views will be fed into the process of shaping the final version of both strategies.
The views and opinions of residents help to shape all of our policies and plans and they are all published on our website so you can find them easily and take part in those that are of interest. |
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| Renovation work is under way to conserve The Symington Building |
 | Photos courtesy of Rhomco Consulting Ltd
Renovation work to The Symington Building in Market Harborough is under way to conserve it for future generations. We are leading a programme of works to the historic Grade II listed building, with renovations that include upgrading the building's external masonry, roof and the windows to the front of the building and the tower.
Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, said: “The Symington Building is one of our district’s iconic community assets and an important part of our shared history that we must not lose. “Historic buildings need to be maintained and that is why we made budget provision earlier in the year for the upkeep of this landmark building. As the current custodians of The Symington Building, we are investing now to preserve it for future generations.”
The Symington Building is a former Victorian corset factory that is now the council’s headquarters and also home to Harborough Museum, Harborough Library, Job Centre Plus, Citizens Advice, NFU Mutual, Gallones and Insomnia Coffee Shop. Although the front of the building is currently cloaked in scaffolding to enable the renovation works, it remains open to the public as normal.
Anyone intending to visit one of the organisations located in the building may wish to check opening times in advance. The works are set to end in March 2026. | |
Market remains open during improvement works |  |
Essential improvement works are taking place at the Market Hall in Market Harborough during which the market remains fully open with its amazing range of traders.
The works include a roof upgrade that is currently under way and modernisation of the lift inside the market which is planned for early 2026. As the works are taking place to the exterior of the market there is currently scaffolding along two sides; the car park and Northampton Road entrance.
The entrance to the building off the car park is not in use, but both the Northampton Road and St Mary's Place entrances are unaffected. Signage is in place and accessible walkways are available to ensure customers can safely access the market.
A number of parking spaces are unavailable while the works are carried out to ensure a safe distance is maintained from the contractors and public, but there is plenty of parking available in the nearby Springfield Rd/Sainsburys car park. | | VJ Day anniversary commemorations on 15 August | Two commemorative ceremonies will take place on Friday 15 August to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day.
Everyone is welcome to attend to mark the end of the Second World War 80 years ago, and to honour those who served so valiantly in the Far East but whose efforts and sacrifice are sometimes forgotten. Both events will observe the national two-minute silence at midday. Attendees are asked to assemble no later than 11.50am at: A special VJ Day 80th Anniversary Flag will fly over The Symington Building and in the Memorial Gardens on the day and over the adjoining weekend.
Find out more about our support for the armed forces community. |
| Find out more
| | Next steps in Local Government reorganisation |
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Thank you to everyone who completed our survey, joined a workshop, or took part in a focus group as part of our engagement work on the future of local councils in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. More than 4,500 responses to the online survey were received across all of the council areas and your feedback will be invaluable in helping to shape what comes next.
We are now carefully reviewing everything you’ve told us and using it to refine our North, City, South plan, which would see the creation of three equally sized unitary councils for the area: North Leicestershire and Rutland, South Leicestershire and Leicester City.
We’ll be submitting the final plan to government in November 2025. There will be further opportunities to have your say on future council structures, as the government will also hold formal consultations later in the process.
Find out more at: https://www.northcitysouth.co.uk |
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| | Initiatives across the district receive £456k in funding |
Four community projects will receive over £56,000 from our £1 million Community Grant Fund.
These grants aim to strengthen working relationships between the council and its parishes and towns and deliver projects and schemes at a local level. The recipients are:
- Harborough Town Community Trust (Harborough Town Football Club) – (£22,569) to purchase an enhanced PA system and new electronic scoreboard
- Market Harborough Drama Society – (£10,830) to buy and install LED lit window displays, new decals to the public-facing windows and doors and decals in the upstairs public facing windows, to improve the sound and lighting storeroom and to purchase and fix an ultra-bright digital screen in the outward-facing window of the theatre
- Voluntary Action South Leicestershire – (£10,212) to purchase partitioning, four chairs and a coffee table for new premises
- Home-Start South Leicestershire – (£12,690) to replace desktop and laptop computers and to purchase and install one infrared ceiling mounted heater and three instant water heaters.
There's still time to apply for funding as part of round four of the grant fund which closes on 11 August 2025. Community Grant funding is for capital projects that create lasting assets across Harborough district, such as improvements to building, facilities, or purchasing and installing equipment. Decisions on applications are set to be made at the Cabinet Subcommittee - Grants in September. Section 106 funding
More than £400,000 has been allocated to local schools to improve educational resources and enhance facilities that can be used by the wider community. The projects are funded through Section 106 contributions which is funding provided by developers for community improvements in areas where development has occurred. These investments aim to strengthen the schools’ roles as community hubs, making their facilities more accessible, attractive, and beneficial to residents. The beneficiaries are:
Welland Park Academy - (£187,280) to upgrade seating in its Octagonal Theatre, supporting both school use and community events. Robert Smyth Academy - (£218,797) to refurbish its changing room facilities, helping to improve the experience for students and local groups who use the school’s sports amenities. |
| Learn more about our grants funds
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Timeline of Lutterworth Market Square project adjusted to support businesses and festive celebrations |  |
The timeline for the Lutterworth Market Square enhancement project has been adjusted to safeguard local businesses during the vital festive trading period and to ensure that the popular Lutterworth Christmas Lights Switch On event can proceed without disruption.
The project aims to revitalise the heart of Lutterworth, creating a more attractive, accessible, and vibrant public space for residents and visitors alike. Work is expected to start in the new year. Whilst substantial progress has been made on the project's planning and preparatory stages, the start of physical works has been slightly delayed.
This is primarily due to the time required to finalise necessary regulatory approvals with Leicestershire County Council, including the Section 278 approval process, which is a complex legal requirement for works affecting the public highway. |
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A Poet Laureate and Junior Poet Laureate for Harborough District |
A Poet Laureate and a Junior Poet Laureate are set to be formally appointed for Harborough district. Councillors agreed in June to the creation of these honorary roles which will celebrate local culture, encourage engagement with poetry and provide a voice for the community through verse.
The titles will be decided through bi-annual competitions which will be administered and awarded by Wingates Gallery in association with Creative Harborough. Each position will include writing poems to commemorate significant moments and giving performances of their work.
The council has supported the development of a Cultural Quarter in Market Harborough and is committed to improving and enhancing culture across the district for the benefit of residents. |
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| | Tennis Courts to get major upgrade |
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Tennis facilities in Market Harborough’s Welland Park are set to undergo a major transformation. The council will receive a grant award of £81,717 from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation's Park Tennis Project to resurface the courts and install new gate access systems.
The aim is for as many people as possible to use the courts and play tennis for free. The funding will assist the council in improving vital community accessed leisure facilities within the district and help to drive the council’s priorities around improving health, wellbeing and physical activity.
This investment comes as part of a £30 million nationwide scheme from the government and Lawn Tennis Association. Their aim is to refurbish public tennis courts across Great Britain and open up the sport to many more people. This project is externally funded with no financial contribution required from the council.
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| | Join our Youth Council! |
We are really keen to welcome new members to our Youth Council in the new academic year and existing members will be working on promotions over the summer holidays.
Monthly meetings will start again in September with the first meeting being held on Thursday 18 September at Lutterworth College 5.30pm-7.30pm. The meetings will then alternate between Lutterworth and Market Harborough on Thursdays each month. We provide transport through Lutterworth Community Transport and Market Harborough Community Transport to make the meetings 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. |
| Active fun for all the family this summer for £2 per person |
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Do you want to keep children active, entertained and off screens during the holidays?
Harborough and Lutterworth Leisure Centres, which are run by operator, Everyone Active, on behalf of Harborough District Council, are both taking part in the Everyone is Family campaign which offers a wide range of family-friendly activities at local leisure centres – all for £2 per person.
Running until Wednesday September 3, the campaign will offer something for all ages – from swimming and racquets to pickleball and badminton. The aim is to give families more opportunities to spend quality time together, without the barrier of high costs.
Activity schedules and booking information are now available on the Everyone Active website and app, with many of the activities suitable for all ages and abilities.
In addition to the in-centre sessions, families can sign up for a free Family Activity Plan, which includes more than 50 simple challenges to try at home or outdoors, along with healthy recipes.
And, if you're looking to get active and take your health and wellbeing to the next level, then take a visit our Active Together Harborough website to learn about activities for all.
You'll find details about activity sessions and useful links to specific programmes along with information about local groups, exercise classes and activities.
There's also a number of community activity programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds, plus information about local sporting activities and clubs, healthy eating and self-help. |
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| | Celebrating our parks in Love Parks Week |
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We celebrated Harborough district's parks and open spaces in late July as part of national Love Parks Week 2025. Our precious green spaces play a vital role in boosting our health and wellbeing and we all know that exercise is great for our mental and physical health.
Walking around the parks and green spaces in Harborough district is a pleasurable way to increase your step count and boost your mood. For a breath of fresh air in beautiful surroundings find details of our parks and open spaces on our website.
Check out our free heritage trails around the district and learn about our activity programmes including park runs. |
| Make sure you're registered to vote and don't forget to reapply for your postal vote |
 | Check you're registered to vote
Every year we check the electoral register is up to date and we’re now contacting all households to make sure those eligible to vote are registered. Your household will receive a letter/form shortly, asking you to check your details. Just follow the steps on the letter/form to ensure you’re registered and ready to vote. Postal voters need to re-register
If you registered to postal vote before 31 January 2024, don't forget to reapply. Recent changes to the law mean that anyone who registered to postal vote before 31 January 2024 will have their postal vote expire on 31 January 2026, unless they reapply.
We have written to everyone affected, so if you have had a letter encouraging you to reapply for your postal vote, please don't forget to do so. If you don't reapply, you would still be able to vote in person but won't be able to postal vote at future elections.
It's very easy to reapply to postal vote online at: www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote. You will need to have your National Insurance number to hand and have a photograph of your signature. The letter you will have received provides instructions if you are not able to register online.
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| | By-election in Market Harborough Logan Ward |
A by-election was held in Market Harborough Logan Ward on Thursday 17 July 2025. Paul David Bremner, the Conservative Party candidate, was elected to Harborough District Council.
The full results of the Logan Ward by-election are available on our website |
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| | Contact your local councillor |
Do you want to raise an issue with your local councillor?
Head straight to our website to find out which councillors represent your ward and how to contact them. You'll find all their contact details and information about their political affiliation and personal interests.
You can search for your local councilors by postcode, political party, ward or name. From the same page on our website you can also find details about your local MP. |
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Enjoy Heritage Open Days district-wide from 12 to 21 September 2025 |
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A host of local heritage and cultural sites will open to the public for free as the Heritage Open Days Festival returns this September.
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 are working 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. |
| Events in Harborough district
| | Food and Drink Fortnight a success |
The first Food and Drink Fortnight led by the Visit Harborough team to promote eating out and drinking across the district took place in July. The team was delighted with its success, featuring meal deals offers and new menus running at 28 participating venues and events. Future events will be highlighted on our social media channels and elsewhere. |
| Search local planning and enforcement decisions in your area |
Have you ever wondered when a development was granted planning permission or been interested in why something was removed following a complaint? Our website has a host of information on local planning matters. You can look up current and past planning applications, read details and documents relating to them and look through enforcement decisions our team has made.
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.
Recent planning news includes:
A total of four planning and enforcement appeals for the use of land as Gypsy and Traveller pitches at Bowden Lane, Welham have been dismissed. The first appeals were dismissed in January 2025 and a second appeals were dismissed July 2025. These dismissed appeals uphold the council’s refusal to grant planning permission and issue enforcement notices for reasons including the unsuitable location and flood risk. The appeal decisions allow up to 15 months to comply with the enforcement notices. Requirements include ceasing the unauthorised residential use of the land as a Gypsy and Traveller caravan site and removing all caravans from the land.
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| | Support and free advice for businesses |
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Local businesses can access a range of free support sessions designed to help them grow, connect, and thrive, organised by Invest in Harborough district and funded by the UK Government. Services on offer include:
1:1 Advice – Professional support from an experienced business advisor Workshops – Peer group sessions to build essential business knowledge Networking Events – Share ideas and connect with fellow local businesses Grants and Finance – Find and apply for funding, and get support to develop your finance plans Build Connections – Link up with local and national support networks
This service is delivered by Gau Naik, a certified Business Advisor with over 20 years of experience, 14 of which have been dedicated to assisting Leicestershire businesses. Gau is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Leicester and a Trustee of the Sir Thomas White Charity. Free advice
Businesses can also come along to the Harborough Innovation Centre on the first Tuesday of every month, 10am–3pm, for free expert guidance on: |
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| | Job vacancies - come and work with us! |
Are you looking for your next career move? If so, why not consider working with us?
If you’re passionate about making a real difference, then working in a council is the place for you.
Local government is the backbone of our communities, protecting the most vulnerable residents and improving the lives of everyone. Councils like us provide many different services, from planning to maintaining the environment and supporting local businesses and culture.
Find out more about the benefits of working with our friendly and professional team and check our website regularly for the latest vacancies.
| | Dates for your diary |
15 August, 11.45am, VJ Day 80th anniversary commemoration, Lutterworth Memorial Gardens - 15 August, 11.45am, VJ Day 80th anniversary commemoration, Market Harborough War Memorial
20 August, 11.30-3pm, Community Wellbeing Plan engagement event, Station Road car park, Lutterworth - 27 August, Deadline for nominations for Community Awards 2025
- 30 August, 9am - 3pm, Artisan Fair on The Square
4 September, 9am - 3pm, Farmer’s Market on The Square, Market Harborough 10 September, 3-6pm, Community Wellbeing Plan engagement event, Coplow Centre, Uppingham Road, Billesdon 12 to 21 September, Heritage Open Days Festival |
| Find more events across Harborough district
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