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Service updates in Leicester

We're working hard to protect staff, services and the people of Leicester. Ensuring the city’s most vulnerable residents are a high priority. Unfortunately, some of our services will need to be changed due to coronavirus or during the Christmas and New Year period. We will keep you informed and up to date on those changes.

 

Your council

Our customer service centre on Granby Street is temporarily closed until further notice. 

You can still make use of our online services, contact us by email or phone:

If you are struggling to access online services seek help from family or friends. Find out how we may be able to help you.

Phone lines during Christmas and New Year

You can find a full list of services for the homeless/rough sleepers that will be running in Leicester during the Christmas and New Year period, from 19 December 2020 to 3 January 2021.

All ward meetings have been cancelled with immediate effect until further notice.

Remember that your local councillors are still very much available to provide support and guidance and although they may not be able to meet with you in person, you can still get in touch with them by email or phone.

We are working to minimise the impact of the coronavirus on bereavement and registration services. For that reason, we have introduced temporary changes. Our cemeteries and crematorium remain open. Get more details on service changes to births, marriages and deaths.

The Records Office is now closed until further notice. Further information will be available on The Record Office website.

We are dealing with a high demand for our services. If you have already submitted a housing application, we are doing our best to get back to you as soon as we are able to. We appreciate your patience during this delay. Get more information.

If you are at risk of losing your home or are at risk of harm in your current home/circumstances then please call us on 0116 454 1008.

Housing support for tenants and residents will continue to be provided remotely. Home and estate visits will be carried out for critical reasons and staff will be implementing Covid safe measures.

Less urgent service requests will be put on hold during the lockdown, as we will be focusing on ensuring that our most vulnerable tenants and residents are supported during this period.

For urgent service requests please contact the tenant’s advice line on 0116 454 1007.

We are experiencing a high demand for our service and this may cause delays in answering your call and processing your applications.

To submit a crisis application and for further information please visit our community support grant page

If you're struggling to make payments due to the coronavirus, please ring us on 0116 454 1005. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 10am - 5pm. 

The family support service and Corner Club at Border House has been cancelled until further notice. 


Schools and learning

We understand that some parents may have concerns about sending their child to school. You can find all the latest information on our staying safe at school page alternatively please contact your child's school.

Childcare and early education settings will also remain open to all children. Parents and carers may have similar concerns about their child attending childcare. Our staying safe in early education page provides more information.

We know that you want to help support your child’s learning and education as much as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. To aid your child’s learning at home we have compiled this list of useful resources for you.

Some parents have received an email stating the following: ‘As schools will be closing, if you’re entitled to free school meals, please send your bank details and we’ll make sure you’re supported’.

We can confirm that this is a scam email and is not official. We urge parents that if you receive any emails like this, please do not respond, and delete it immediately.

Face to face teaching is suspended and most courses will operate on an online or distance learning model. Practical classes which cannot be effectively delivered online will be suspended until the new year and complete in the first half of the Spring term. For more information, and support with online learning contact your tutor, email lasals@leicester.gov.uk or call 0116 454 1900.


Environment

You should only come to our sites if your waste cannot be stored safely at home. Please follow our regular updates on Facebook and Twitter.

Gypsum Close and Freemen's Common recycling centres will continue to open daily from 8am - 6pm during the national lockdown.

However, we may need to close the gates or ask people to stop queuing earlier than the stated closing time. This is to allow the sites to be cleaned and sanitised, and also for us to manage any existing queue. This means that you won't be turned away from the sites if you have already been queuing for any time.

Please take note of the guidelines below:

  • The sites will be operating under a one in one out system to ensure social distancing, so it is expected that there will be long queues and significant delays. 
  • A single direction queue will be managed on Lewisher Road for Gypsum Close. Please approach via the Barkby Road end of Lewisher Road, as there is no right turn into Gypsum Close for the public.
  • A single direction queue will be managed on Islington Street and Counting House Road for Freemen’s Common. Please approach via Counting House Road only.
  • To keep surrounding roads clear around Freemen's Common, long queues will not be allowed to form – please be prepared to be turned away if the site is busy.
  • Please sort your waste before visiting so that you can offload quickly and easily. 
  • Stay in your vehicle while queuing to aid with social distancing. Please do not leave your vehicle until it is necessary to get out.
  • Stay safe – wear protective gloves, appropriate footwear and clothing and only bring what you can safely handle as staff will not be able to help you carry your waste as they normally would. 
  • You must keep a 2 metres distance from others at all times. 
  • Do not visit if you or anyone in your household are in self-isolation or have COVID-19 symptoms.
  • Asbestos and chemicals can only be disposed of at Freemen's Common. If disposing of asbestos please call ahead.
  • Vans, pickups and trailers longer than 1.4m are not permitted at Freemen's Common. From 14 September all vans, pickups and large trailers will need to obtain a permit before taking waste at Gypsum Close. Go to our recycling centres page for more details.
  • There is no pedestrian access to either site until further notice.

Christmas and New Year opening hours

For full details on opening times, please see the recycling centres page.


LOROS reuse shop

Unfortunately, as a result of the new coronavirus restrictions, the LOROS reuse shop at the Gypsum Close Recycling Centre will be closed from Thursday 5 November for both donations and sales until further notice.

Waste and recycling roadside collection services are currently operating as normal.

If someone in your home has coronavirus symptoms, please put their personal waste (such as used tissues) in a separate rubbish bag, place that into another bag, tie securely and keep separate from other waste for 72 hours before placing it in your refuse bin.

Christmas and New Year collection changes

Your waste and recycling collection day will change over the festive period. Get more details on the changes.

The trade waste facility at Gypsum Close is open to businesses Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm with safety measures in place. Only card payments will be accepted. Biffa staff will not be able to assist in unloading any waste.

Christmas and New Year opening hours

Full details of opening hours over the Christmas and New Year period can be found on the trade waste page.

Please be aware that waiting times for a bulky waste collection may be longer than usual. It is not currently possible to make changes to a booking once it has been made.


Transport

If you are unable to apply for a blue badge online, we are now offering telephone applications during the COVID-19 outbreak. Please call us on 0116 454 5600

We are currently prioritising taxi renewals and applications with statutory deadlines only. Get full details of temporary changes.

All parking services and enquiries including fines and permit applications have resumed. However, there may still be the occasional delay.

Information on penalty charge notices and how to make payment can be found on the Parking fines and enforcement page.

Information on parking permits and how to make an application can be found on the Get a parking permit page.

General information on parking can be found on our Parking in Leicester page.

All our CCTV camera enforcement for bus lanes/bus gates and bus stop clearway (red route) will remain active until further notice. Therefore any enquiries, representations and payment plans will resume as normal, however, if you have difficulty getting through to our customer services please email us directly at leicesterble@leicester.gov.uk and provide us with your Penalty Charge Notice reference number and your contact telephone number. The BLE team will call you back to take your payment.

Information on our enforcement locations and how to make a representation/payment can be found on our bus lane fines and enforcement page.

Concessionary travel for unemployed people (Travel Aid) has been suspended until further notice.

Newarke Street car park opening hours over Christmas/New Year

  • 24 December: normal hours 6.30am – 1am
  • 25 December: closed
  • 26 December: closed
  • 27 December: closed
  • 28 December: normal hours 6.30am – 1am
  • 1 January: closed

If you need to renew a bus pass or report it stolen or lost, please go to the bus and concessionary fares information page.

If you have any other queries then email bus-pass@leicester.gov.uk.

The secure public cycle parking service is currently open. There will be no public access to toilets and showers at this time.

The parking will be free of charge until further notice. For further information on opening times go to our
cycle parking page.

All Shopmobility services in the city are currently closed.

All three of our sites from Birstall, Meynell's Gorse and Enderby are running. To find out the latest information, please go to our Park & Ride webpage.

 

Leisure and culture

Changes from 2 December

The following leisure and sport centres are currently open:

  • Spence Street Sports Centre
  • Cossington Street Sports Centre
  • Braunstone Leicester Centre
  • Humberstone Golf Course including 3G/outdoor pitches will be open with limited services.

All Active Leicester members can access any of the sites and facilities above until local sites are reopened.

What sites will remain closed?

The following leisure and sport centres will remain closed:

  • Leicester Leys Leisure Centre
  • Evington Leisure Centre
  • New Parks Leisure Centre
  • Aylestone Leisure Centre

Get the latest updates on our FAQS page

Christmas and New Year opening times

Humberstone Heights Golf Course is currently open. For latest updates, please see our FAQs page.

Our parks are currently all open, although Pets' Corner in Abbey Park and all city ball courts and tennis courts will remain closed until further notice. Public toilets are open at all park sites. All Leicester environmental volunteering sessions remain on hold due until further notice.

Information and advice

You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or one person from another household.

Outdoor public places include:

  • parks, beaches, countryside,
  • public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them), allotments
  • playgrounds
  • Continued compliance with social distancing guidelines to remain two meters (6ft) away from people outside your household.
  • Good hand hygiene, particularly with respect to shared surfaces.
  • You may drive to outdoor open spaces irrespective of distance, so long as you respect social distancing guidance while they are there, because this does not involve contact with people outside your household.
  • Team contact sports are still not permitted and all ball courts remained closed.
  • Children’s outdoor play areas across the city are open for use. Safety signs are on display at all 247 playgrounds reminding everyone of the need for 2m social distancing and other hygiene measures. Parents and carers visiting play areas are encouraged to bring wipes and sanitiser to clean touch points such as equipment handles.

Scattering ashes - service resumes

Ashes can be scattered at any of our parks, as well as along a stretch of the River Soar near to the National Space Centre, with a maximum of 15 in attendance. You must pay a fee and complete a service request form if you would like to scatter ashes in a park. Full details are available in the attachments at the bottom of the using our parks page.

Following the government’s announcement on 23 November organised outdoor sport can now return across all tiers from 2 December. Organisations and clubs participating in outdoor sport will need to follow their NGB guidance regarding Covid-19 control measures and have risk assessments in place to manage their sport in a Covid-secure manner.

Informal or self organised sport in Leicester must adhere to Tier 3 restrictions:

  • Tier 3 - households or support bubbles indoors and outdoors only (except in some public outdoor places such as parks and sports facilities, where people can meet in groups of up to 6).

Full guidance on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID restrictions can be found at GOV.UK.

All Leicester museums and galleries are closed until further notice. You can get all the latest information on the Leicester Museums and Galleries website

All our allotments are open to the public as usual. However, please ensure that the 2 metres social distancing is followed at all times whilst on site. Any plot holder that is self-isolating because a household member is ill with coronavirus should not visit the site. Further information can be found on the National Allotment Society website.

King Richard III Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre is currently closed. 

Telephone: 0116 299 4444, available 10am to 4pm.

For further information, please visit the website or send an email.

Visit Leicester

The Visit Leicester is currently closed.

Email: info@visitleicester.info
Website: www.visitleicester.info
Ring: 0116 299 4444

We are reviewing our wider programme of festivals and events.

De Montfort Hall is closed to the public. For more information on your bookings please go to the De Montfort Hall website.

 

Social care

If you have concerns about a child or an adult at risk, help continues to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How to report concerns if you are worried about a child.

How to report concerns if you are worried about an adult at risk. For more information about who an ‘adult at risk’ might be, see Leicester Safeguarding Adults Board.

Please note that you cannot currently report concerns at the Customer Service Centre on Granby Street because it is closed. 

Under the emergency coronavirus legislation, the council is permitted to make changes to social care services if this becomes necessary. These are called ‘easements’ to the Care Act. We are not using these powers currently and we hope that we will not have to in future. Find out more about easements.


Community

Leicester’s libraries and community centres remain closed until further notice. Our priority is to reduce coronavirus infection rates in the city and we need to dedicate our resources to supporting that effort. A book “Order and Collect” service remains available at nine libraries.

You can still order books by phone or through our website for collection between 10am and 4pm Monday to Thursday. Please note, some changes will occur during Christmas and New Year. Please visit our libraries web page for details of our order and collect service. 

The Home Library Service will continue to deliver books to housebound customers. Please call 0116 299 5465 for further information.

We have now expanded our e-resources including eBooks, eAudio, eMagazines and eComics. We now also provide online storytelling sessions for children. To access our virtual library, activities and resources, please visit our Libraries from home page.

Book Bus service - this is currently suspended.

Community centres

All remain closed during this period.

Youth centres

All of our youth centres remain closed.


Business

For more information on changes to business rates and other related grants, see our business rates page

All our training courses are now cancelled until further notice. 

We have a large portfolio of lets including industrial units, shop premises, offices, managed work spaces and grazing land. We understand that some of our customers during the global outbreak of COVID-19 may not be able to afford to pay these charges when they receive their invoices from us.

When necessary and to support those businesses and individuals affected, whist we cannot waive an invoice we can offer some support over the coming weeks.

This includes:     

  • Spreading the cost of an invoice and agreeing an installment arrangement.
  • Reducing the amount you pay, if you currently pay by installments.
  • Agreeing a temporary moratorium – pausing the need to make payments.
  • Suspending any debt enforcement proceedings.

(Please note that if your invoice is currently being collected by a third party, they will continue to contact you and make appropriate arrangements considering your circumstances).

During the outbreak, we will assess your ability to pay over the telephone. You will not be required to complete an income and expenditure form and return this to us. Any revised arrangements to pay will not be extended automatically. Invoices will be due in full at the end of a 12-week period, and you must contact us again if you remain unable to pay your invoice in full. Once we have assessed your ability to pay, a letter will be sent to you if the amount you are required to pay changes. 

You can contact us at income.collection@leicester.gov.uk or by telephone on 0116 454 1010.

The Economic Regeneration business workspaces (LCB Depot, Makers Yard, Phoenix Square Workspace, Dock, Leicester Business Centre) remain open for workspace tenants, but will be closed to the public from 5 November.

 

Planning

Due to the closure of our offices, there will be some delays in service such as the validation of new applications and responding to queries. We will not be offer face to face meetings, but will be looking into online alternatives. The arrangements for the Planning and Development Control Committee are currently under review. We would appreciate a constructive approach from applicants and agents to agreeing reasonable extensions of time for planning applications wherever possible and necessary.


Other services

The services below are currently operating as normal, however due to high demand please only get in touch if absolute necessary as we are prioritising urgent requests;

  • Trading standards
  • Noise and pollution
  • Building control
  • Public safety
  • Food safety team
  • Private sector housing
  • Area environmental health
Street sweeping

We are operating the removal of litter, detritus and graffiti throughout Leicester.

Please take note to follow updates within the waste and recycling centres and bulky waste collection service section in how to dispose of your unwanted household items.

From Thursday 5 November:

  • City Centre essential food traders only: 8am to 4pm
  • Beaumont Market essential food traders only: every Wednesday to Saturday, 8am to 4pm