News and features from Harborough District Council - October 2022

Tributes have been paid locally, and across the world, to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. 

Floral tributes were laid across the Harborough district, and messages of thanks and appreciation for The Queen's service have been written in the Books of Condolence following the death of Her Majesty on 8 September 2022.

The Queen's reign of 70 years and 214 days is the longest of any British monarch, and the second-longest verified reign of any sovereign in history.

More than 200 people attended the Proclamation of Accession of the new King, Charles III, at Market Harborough's Memorial Gardens. The Proclamation ws read out by the Council's Vice Chairman Cllr Rani Mahal, after which the crowds in attendance and joined together to sing God Save The King. The occasion was attended by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Leader of the Council, Shadow Leader of the Council, Council Chief Executive and the Council's Vice Chairman. 

In 1967, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Market Harborough railway station before travelling by Royal train to Rugby. Her Majesty and the Duke were introduced to civic leaders before boarding the train. The occasion was captured on film by local amateur film makers.

A special meeting of the Council was held shortly after Her Majesty's death to commemorate her life and service and included a number of emotional tributes and stories about meeting The Queen.

Many people from the district travelled to London to pay their respects to The Queen during the period of mourning and on the day of her funeral; reports state that 37.5m people in the UK - and four billion people worldwide - tuned in to watch The Queen's state funeral on television. 

If you are passionate about your local community, we need you.

Councillors can make a huge difference to the quality of life of local people and how local issues are dealt with. People from all backgrounds and experiences, who reflect the communities in which they live, are being encouraged to stand for election.

Next month, we are holding a Local Democracy Week, from Monday 14 November to Sunday 20 November 2022, when we will be sharing information about how you can get involved in public life. There will also be a Cabinet meeting on Monday 14 November which the public are invited to attend to see the decision-making process in action.

Whether it’s on a parish council or standing as a district councillor, being an elected representative can be hugely fulfilling and you’ll have the opportunity to influence what happens in your community and the wider district. You can also champion the voices and opinions of others in your community.

We want to reach out to people who may not have considered standing before, or may have felt the opportunity wasn’t open to them. As long as you are 18 years old or over, a British or EU Citizen, and live or work in the district, you can stand.

Watch this video and find out more from those who have taken the step into becoming a councillor.

We're asking residents to help us ensure car parks in the Harborough district meet the needs of residents, visitors, and people who work in the district, now and in the future.

Our car park survey just takes a few minutes to complete and will run until Tuesday 18 October 2022.

We would like to hear about your use of council car parks, particularly Market Harborough and Lutterworth car parks, as well as accessibility and vehicle use.

Tell us your thoughts at www.harborough.gov.uk/parking-survey

Market Harborough has won first prize in the East Midlands In Bloom competition.

The top honour in the large town category was announced at an awards ceremony in Loughborough.

The judges were shown around the town earlier in summer by Council officers, volunteers, FCC Environment contractors, and Council vice chairman Cllr Rani Mahal, to see floral displays and other environmental projects.

Although the town has won gold for the past few years, it is the first time for several years Market Harborough has been crowned overall winner.

Market Harborough also won the Horticultural Excellence Within Parks award for Welland Park.

The judges highlighted the town and park’s cleanliness, planting, Rose Garden (pictured), and the new wildflower meadow created along the river in Market Harborough (pictured).

East Midlands in Bloom is an annual competition organised by the EMIB Regional Committee, and is one of the 18 regions/nations which comprise ‘Britain in Bloom‘, the campaign organised by the Royal Horticultural Society. The aim of the competition is to encourage the improvement of our surroundings through the imaginative use of trees, shrubs, flowers and landscaping. It also aims to achieve a litter-free and sustainable environment.

Whether you have an amazing idea, or have spotted a gap in the market, a free training course could help you get things off the ground and set-up your own business.

The Starting in Business Programme, run by NBV, gives you everything you need to know to get your business up and running. The training course covers all the skills that you’ll need to start and manage a successful small business.

The free, three-day course is being run on Monday 31 October, Tuesday 1 November, and Monday 7 November, from 9.30am to 3.30pm, at the Harborough Innovation Centre in Market Harborough.

Following on from the launch of Great Big Green Week at the Eco Village in Market Harborough last week, you are invited to the Great Big Green Saturday on The Square, in Market Harborough, on Saturday 1 October 2022, from 10am to 4pm, with lots of stalls and information about green lifestyles from organisations which are helping protect and enhance the environment.

We've been working with Sustainable Harborough Community, the Eco Village and others to support the Great Big Green Week which has involved a host of activities, and we'd love to see you there on Saturday. Find out who will be at the event. 

The iconic jet engine in Lutterworth, commemorating engineering pioneer Sir Frank Whittle, has received a makeover - including a full clean and new lick of paint.

The Gloster E.28/39 aircraft, situated on the A4303/A426 roundabout at the entrance to Lutterworth - which to many represents part of the identity of Lutterworth - had its scaffolding removed following the cleaning and redecoration, arranged by Harborough District Council.

Sir Frank Whittle was an aeronautical engineer, credited with inventing the turbojet engine in 1936. His works and test site were based at Ladywood Works in Lutterworth.

A new online system to help residents and businesses access our services is receiving high praise.

Following a thorough testing stage, the online system called Netcall, has successfully been integrated with the Council’s most in-demand services with others to follow on.

You can now take simple steps online to request a range of services; including ordering a repair to a bin, booking a bulky waste collection, requesting an additional recycling bin and more!

To the beginning of August 2022, we received 20,016 customers feedback regarding Netcall, with 87 per cent of respondents providing a positive rating.

The digital transformation has been warmly welcomed by residents who have used the new systems to set up or renew their garden waste collection subscriptions online.

Feedback has been excellent across the board, with residents, who opted to test the system prior to roll out, sharing their thoughts on the new process.

If you have any feedback about the Council's online services please email customer.services@harborough.gov.uk

Feedback is being sought on renewing two public orders relating to dogs and to alcohol.

The current three-year Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) for Alcohol Control and Dog Controls will shortly be ending, and we are seeking feedback regarding extending these orders for a further three years.   

The PSPO enables the police to deal with anti-social drinking in designated town centre areas. Under the Order, police are able to remove alcohol from anyone behaving in an anti-social way.

The current Dog Control PSPO creates three offences of failing to remove dog faeces, failing to put a dog on a lead after a request by an authorised officer, and failing to have an appropriate means to pick up dog faeces. 

We want your feedback on the proposed extension of these two orders. Have you say on these public orders before 14 October 2022 at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/PSPO22