Like many parents I only became aware recently that Gartree, Manor and Beauchamp are consulting on changing their age range and have concerns over the potential consequences. Having read the information on the school’s websites I believe the issues and concerns can be summarised as follows: The effect of these proposals mean that the […]

Gigaclear has recently announced that it has received enough expressions of interest from the Welland Valley area that it is now able to go into stage two of deploying superfast broadband and start taking orders. If you live in one of the Leicestershire villages of Blaston, Bringhurst, Cranoe, Drayton, Hallaton, Horninghold, Nevill Holt, Medbourne, Slawston […]

I am writing to provide an update on the situation on home to school transport policy as there have been significant developments since my last post on it. When the Cabinet first announced the consultation on changes to school transport, the proposal was simply to the ‘nearest school’ with an available place. This would have […]

When the Conservatives announced their intentions last November to pursue a new Home to School Transport policy based on ‘nearest school only’, Simon Galton, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, left comments exposing the flaws with such an approach. Finding the Tory approach completely unacceptable, the Liberal Democrats have used the time to work up […]

Residents in Thurnby & Houghton Ward which comprise the villages of Scraptoft, Thurnby, Bushby, Houghton and Stoughton will get the chance to vote twice this Thursday! Once for Simon Galton for the Leicestershire County Council elections who has served the area for over 24 years, and once for Peter Elliott to join the Harborough District […]

A Government appointed Inspector has rejected 4 out 5 planning appeals by developers and landowners and upheld the decision taken by Harborough District Council’s Planning Committee to refuse planning permission for a total of 325 houses.  The sites where planning permission has been refused are: Coles Nursery – 175 dwellings, East of Station Lane, Scraptoft […]

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning polices for England and reduces more than 1000 pages of guidance and requirements on Councils to just over 50 pages. This key document is now a “material consideration” when dealing with planning applications and preparing local plans. Since the draft NPPF was published in […]

Simon Galton has given strong support to SHIRE grant applications in Tilton and Skeffington. Both applications have recently been approved by the County Council, helping projects put forward by local communities to go ahead. A project group set up in Tilton to build a new children’s play area has worked hard over the past two […]

Leicestershire County Council is currently consulting on proposals to reduce or cut public transport in Leicestershire for students, the disabled and the elderly, which could go ahead if too few people respond to the Consultation. Local Councillor Simon Galton said: “The old phrase ‘use it or lose it’ springs to mind here. If people don’t […]

The decision by Conservatives on Leicestershire County Council to cut support for Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) has been condemned by local Liberal Democrats. The decision was passed at Wednesday’s Leicestershire County Council budget meeting. Liberal Democrat County Councillors voted against the plans. The Council originally funded additional PCSOs in every borough and district across […]