Agenda and draft minutes

Due to a technical issue the Minutes of the Previous Meeting, held on 23 July 2025, are not available.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting, held on 23 July 2025, were not available due to technical difficulties at the time of Agenda publication. These Minutes are now available and will be presented at February’s meeting for approval.

There was no Police representative present at this meeting. Residents in attendance were upset with this as the Police have not been in attendance for several meetings now. Cllr. Loydall confirmed that this will be added to the Agenda for the Community Safety Partnership to discuss with NPA Officers.

M Kind presented to Residents an overview of the incoming weekly Food Waste Collections in Spring 2026.

Communal waste schemes will be provided with a large external bin, and the same internal food waste caddies.

Biogen will process the food waste, removing all plastics, into pellets that will either be used as compost and fertilizer, or as biomass for energy generation.

The Council was told in the beginning that this process would be fully funded by the government as it is a directive to provide this service. This is no longer the case and funding is only guaranteed for the first year of the scheme, and may become a service funded through Council Tax in the following years.

Concerns were raised around rats and foxes getting into the bins, despite the locking handle, as there has been previous experience of this in schemes operated within Blaby District where the resident raising this concern previously lived. It was noted that the Council has to deliver the bins to households as part of the scheme, but the decision to use them is entirely at the discretion of the household.

Residents asked if the rolls of bags will be available via the Council once the first roll provided has been used up. It was noted that any plastic bags can be used, and that there is no requirement to use a bag with the bin and caddies although the suggestion is to do so as it is cleaner. The first 52 bags provided by the Council are compostable.

The food waste collection is a service the Council has to provide so there will be no stickers to be placed on the bin as per the garden waste collection. Householders can put their house number on the bins as they may already do so with household waste and recycling bins.

The purpose of the scheme is to reduce the amount of food waste that goes into the non-recyclable household waste bins.

South Wigston residents would normally have a waste collection day on Boxing Day, but this would now be collected on Saturday, 27 December.

Devolution: The Council has made its submission of a ‘North, South, City’ plan to the Government at the end of November. The City’s bid sees its boundaries extended into the surrounding areas, including Oadby & Wigston. The County’s bid sees one Council for all of Leicestershire, excluding the City. A decision from Central Government is expected in February / March. Parish or Town Councils may be set up following the devolution process. Oadby & Wigston Borough Council will cease to exist after 2027/28.

Spion Kop: Planning application made to extend the parapet of the bridge. The bridge is known to be in a poor state with rusting ironworks underneath, but these works are not included in the planning application. In the recent wet weather a large amount of water collected on the railway line following the track lowering works. A query was raised to whether the nationalisation of the railway will affect these works; this is not thought to have an impact. The ‘blue bridge’ on Aylestone Lane was planned to be replaced but this has not yet occurred.

South Wigston Christmas Capers: The event went very well, and the lights in South Wigston are thought to be very good. An increased budget is available for next year to replace some of the related electrical sockets. The Council has no plans to stop putting Christmas lights up.

Council Budget: The Council is facing increased costs as are all councils, businesses and households. The Council cannot raise its Council Tax by more than 2.99%. The Police precept is expected to increase by £14 annually. The County Council’s precept is the largest component of Council Tax.

William Gunning Park: Some improvements are going ahead, with equipment being repaired and replaced. A budget has been allocated for this. Residents have raised concerns around flooding and standing water on William Gunning Park which is an annual occurrence. The Council has had the standing water tested last year and the results showed no toxic elements. Residents believe that there used to be a drain at the location the puddle forms, and that a blockage may be causing the flooding – residents proposed a dye test to identify where drains and manhole covers may be linked. Residents also noted that this flooding is close to the site of the old pavilion so there must be some drainage there linked to the showers that used to be in the building.

Blaby Road Park: Council Officers are able to make some budget decisions below a certain value. A proposal was made to the Council for an organisation to take over the Pavilion at Blaby Road Park, and manage some elements of the park. The Council is going through a process of generating revenue through the use and hire of its buildings, including pavilions. The cost of running the bowling green at Blaby Road Park far exceeds the income the pavilion generates. The proposal received covers renting elements of the park from the Council for a number of years, including  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Public Toilets: None in South Wigston or Oadby, one block in Wigston at Peace Memorial Park. It is not a statutory duty for Council’s to provide public toilets. Facilities are available within several businesses within each town centre. The toilets on the Junction Road car park in Wigston were closed due to vandalism and unhygienic conditions; the presence of this block is being reviewed and may be demolished or sold off. The toilet located at the entrance to Blaby Road Park had issues with the door automatically opening; this had occurred whilst in use previously by residents, and repairs were not cost effective.

Pot Holes on Saffron Road: Residents raised concerns with pot holes near to St Thomas’ Church, and apparent road sinkage near to Tigers Road. Residents believe that HGVs have caused this damage as part of the prison works. Additionally a bollard on Gloucester Crescent is sinking, causing deformation of the road. M Smith was asked to report these issues to the County Councillor for South Wigston.

Canal Street Shops: Residents queried what is happening with these shops as most of them appear empty. Councils have no jurisdiction over what type of shops / businesses can open – these are based on market forces. Residents believe that some neighbouring properties are being effected by rats from the empty shops. Years ago Severn Trent used to pay the Council to bait the sewers but this is no longer the case, and Severn Trent should be doing this work themselves now. The Town Centre Manager will be made aware of these concerns.

Fairfield Primary School: Vegetation growing across the boundary into private gardens. M Smith will approach the school about this issue as it is ongoing. Some of the trees here now appear to be dangerously leaning.

None raised.

Wednesday, 25 February 2026 – 7pm – Venue TBC

Wednesday, 25 February 2026 – 19:00 – Fairfield Primary School

1.     M Smith to report the condition of the road surface on Saffron Road to the County Councillor for South Wigston.

2.     M Smith to inform the Council’s Town Centre Manager of the Canal Street Shops / rats issue raised by residents.

3.     M Smith to approach Fairfield Primary School regarding the ongoing issue of vegetation growing over their boundary into private gardens.