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Harborough District Council Newsletter

Spring 2018

In this issue:

Lottery helps good causes

Food and drink festivals

Classic Car Show is back

Beat the ageing process

Local Plan milestone

Heart of business community

Garden waste sign ups

Ask the Police

Foreword from the Leader of the Council

We have a very exciting few months ahead – including, of course, the launch of our very own lottery to help local good causes.

The lottery is very much a new venture for us but this is an innovative way to bring extra financial support to good causes – on top of the support we already provide through our grants schemes.

It is pleasing to see that high-profile community events are returning to the district, building on the success of previous years. These kinds of occasions bring people together which is great for the famous community spirit of this district. They also bring visitors into the district which is positive for businesses, shops and the local economy – building on our good work with the business community across the district.

We've also reached a landmark with our Local Plan, and our 'Healthy Harborough' activities continues to gain momentum.

Councillor Neil Bannister

Good causes to benefit from new lottery

Release the balls! Tickets will soon go on sale for a new online lottery offering great prizes and a chance for players to help their favourite good causes.

The first draw for the lottery, being launched by Harborough District Council, will take place on Saturday 5 May 2018 – with a chance for players to win a weekly jackpot of £25,000 - plus smaller prizes – for just £1 per ticket.

The Harborough District Community Lottery draw will take place every Saturday night with results posted on its website, Facebook and Twitter. Winners will be advised directly.

Every ticket has a 1 in 50 chance of winning a prize every week. That's better than the National Lottery and the Health Lottery.

Plus, 60p from every £1 lottery ticket sold will go directly to local charities, voluntary organisations and other good causes – with players able to nominate which good cause they would like to support.

Any not-for-profit organisations or charities in the Harborough district can help raise funds for their organisation by registering on the lottery website at www.harboroughlotto.co.uk

Tickets for the lottery go on sale from 3 April 2018 and can be bought via the website above.

Treats in store at festivals

Two major festivals are celebrating all that is good to eat and drink in the Harborough district.

The Spirit of Harborough festival returns following last year's very successful inaugural event and takes place on Saturday 26 May 2018.

The festival is a celebration of fine wines, craft beer, locally produced cider and artisan gin. A full market will take place in the town square in Market Harborough with a walking tasting trail introducing local produce.

The Food and Drink Festival takes place in Market Harborough's popular Welland Park on Saturday 4 August 2018 and Sunday 5 August 2018 from 11am to 7pm. This event features the best in international, national and local food and drink stalls offering continental cuisine, street food, local meats, cheeses, cakes and real ales. They'll also be music and celebrity chefs displaying their culinary skills in the 'demo kitchen'.

Follow @MHarbFoodFest on Twitter or MHarbFoodFest on Facebook for further details.

Classic Car Show is back

Market Harborough's Classic Car Show returns on Sunday 8 July 2018 from 10am to 4pm – with some of the most amazing retro cars and motorcycles from across the country lining the streets.

Last year's inaugural event proved hugely successful with thousands of people, and car enthusiasts, descending on the town for the occasion.

They'll also be stalls and activities, plus prizes for 'best in show' and other categories up for grabs if you enter a vehicle in the event.

You will soon be able to register your classic vehicle, and find out more, at www.exploreharborough.co.uk

More activities for older people thanks to grant

Older people across the Harborough district are set to enjoy a greater choice of fun and healthy activities.

Harborough District Council's sport and health team have secured funding of £26,000 for its Ageing Well Programme thanks to Market Harborough and The Bowden's Charity.

The programme – part of the council's 'Healthy Harborough' initiative – helps improve the health and well-being of older residents through fun and varied physical activities.

Activity sessions can show significant improvements to the ageing process in relation to health, well-being and lifestyle, and can prevent social isolation and a number of medical-related conditions associated with later life.

Councillor Janette Ackerley said: "We have a large number of residents over the age of 50 in the district and this funding will help us to increase our scope to run classes especially for them. We'd like to thank the charity, and the Harborough District Leisure Trust, for making this possible."

Find out more about Ageing Well at www.harboroughsport.org.uk

New Local Plan ready for examination

The new Local Plan for Harborough district has been submitted to Government for examination.

A Government planning inspector will now decide if it is 'sound' and ready to be adopted. A number of hearing sessions may be held during this process to consider it further, if the inspector declares appropriate.

Once it is adopted, the new Local Plan will set out planning policies in the Harborough district up to 2031. It will make sure development meets strategic priorities for housing, employment, community facilities, transport and other infrastructure needed to support development.

In September 2017, a public consultation on the 'soundness' of the proposed Local Plan saw more than 2,000 representations received, from 430 individuals or organisations. It was considered that those responses received from the public did not raise any issues of soundness that cannot be resolved during the examination stage.

The Local Plan is expected to be finalised and 'adopted' before the end of 2018.

At the heart of the business community

If you're running a business, the latest essential news and information is now at your fingertips via our online business newsletter.

Hundreds of businesses are now signed up to receive the newsletter which features regular updates on networking events, workshops, VIP visits and how to get funding.

You can sign up for free here to receive our business newsletter and find out what else we're doing to help local businesses.

Recent business news includes:

Grab grants of up to £75,000 as part of the East Leicestershire LEADER programme for farming, tourism, and other rural business. Apply before 30 April 2018.
Small Business Commissioner meeting local businesses as Harborough Innovation Centre
Feeding into the Strategic Growth Plan for Leicestershire
Newly approved Economic Development Strategy which outlines the strengths, threats, weaknesses and the challenges the district will face

Sign up for garden waste collections

A new online form is making it easier for people to subscribe to have their garden waste collected – with around 150 residents a day signing up.

People can sign up to have their garden waste collected from April 2018 for an annual subscription fee of £40 per green bin.

Those who sign up for the service will have their garden waste collected on a fortnightly basis between the months of April 2018 and November 2018 and during March 2019.

Garden waste collections will not take place during the winter months of December and February. A one-off garden waste collection will take place in January 2019.

Last year, more than 20,000 residents in the Harborough district signed up to the garden waste collection service.

Subscribe or re-subscribe at www.harborough.gov.uk/green-bin

Ask the Police app

There is a free-to-access online resource that responds to residents' most frequently asked questions about policing.

The Ask The Police app offers an alternative method of contacting the police to ask questions – in effect reducing calls to the police, freeing up resources, and saving money.

It has over 800 questions and answers, guidance and advice on crime or legal related issues with national links to relevant organisations.

Plus the facility to email a question directly.

Find out more and download the app here

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Find us online:

www.harborough.gov.uk

communications@harborough.gov.uk

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