Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2025 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting.

Mr. S. Bradshaw CC declared an Other Registrable Interest in that he is a Trustee of Syston Volunteer Centre who had recently received grant Funding from the County Council to provide passenger transport.

Mr. J. Mcdonald CC declared an Other Registrable Interest in that he was an owner at Beaver Bus Limited that had home to school contracts with the County Council.

There were no declarations of the party whip.

The Chief Executive reported that no petitions had been received under Standing Order 36.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Environment and Transport and the Director of Corporate Resources which provided information on the proposed 2026/27 to 2029/30 Medium Term Financial Strategy as it related to the Highways, Transport and Waste Services within the Environment and Transport Department. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item ‘8’ is filed with these minutes.

The Chairman welcomed Mr. A. Tilbury CC, the Cabinet Lead Member for the Environment and Transport to the meeting for this item.

Arising from discussion, the following points were noted:

Growth

(i)    In response to a Member query about street lighting maintenance costs referred to in Table 3 of the report, it was noted that although the section refers to growth, the figures shown are negative and consistent across each year. Officers clarified that in the 2025/26 financial year the service received a significant growth allocation to support street lighting maintenance costs, which included a one‑off growth requirement of £135,000. The negative figures now appearing within the growth area show the reimbursement of that one‑off amount to the budget.

(ii)   In response to a question about how much additional funding the Authority would require to bring the roads up to the ideal standard, officers explained that work undertaken in the last five years estimated the cost to be at approximately £200–£230m at that time. Spread over ten years, this would require approximately £20m per year in additional investment. It was noted that the criteria used to assess the condition of road surfaces had since changed, and the Department was currently re-evaluating the Leicestershire highways network against the new Government reporting requirements. This would provide a more up to date and accurate estimate of the funding required to get the roads up to the standard the Authority would want to provide.

(iii) The Council was expecting to receive around £28m in capital allocation next year from the Government for highway maintenance; the level of funding would need to be almost double the current allocation to bring the present road surfaces back to a desired standard. It was emphasised that this was not a matter of adding one or two million pounds but would require a significant step change in capital investment.

SEN Transport

(iv) A Member expressed significant concern regarding the rising costs of Special Educational Needs (SEN) transport and mainstream school transport, noting that the growth increase from £5m to £13m by 2029/30 was exceptionally large. The Member queried whether any financial support from the Government was anticipated, given that Leicestershire was one of the lowest funded authorities nationally. The Member emphasised that such pressures risked diverting resources away from other key services.

(v)  It was confirmed that the County Council continued to engage in national discussions about tackling the rising costs of SEN transport. The Council had taken a leading role in establishing a national working group that also involved the Department for Education, and it was acknowledged that legislative changes were needed, actual outcomes had not yet materialised. Officers noted that the issue remained a severe national challenge.

Savings

(i)    Addressing the reference to a necessary step-change in paragraph 23 of the report, officers explained that local authorities had been maintaining services with reducing resources for over 15 years. The Department had delivered savings of approximately £28m from revenue budgets since 2009/10, despite rising demand across areas such as SEN transport, school transport and highways maintenance. Officers emphasised that the scope for further efficiency savings was extremely limited, and that fundamentally different approaches were now required.

(ii)   In response to a question regarding whether  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment and Transport which provided an overview of the County Council’s existing approach to pedestrian, pedal cycle and horse rider crossing assessments and justification, against revised national guidance and accepted best practice, and outlined a proposed minor modification to the assessment process. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item ‘9’ is filed with these minutes.

Mr A. Tilbury CC welcomed the changes, stating that the increased transparency was positive and that he supported measures encouraging active travel and safer streets.

Arising from discussion, the following points were noted:

i)        The introduction of oneway systems to help alleviate heavy traffic in village areas could be considered appropriate where they improved safety and supported traffic flow. However, in some cases they could attract more through traffic which would be counterproductive. Any proposal would therefore require detailed assessment, including consideration of whether it could lead to increased speeds.

ii)      Members were reminded that implementing a one‑way system would require a Traffic Regulation Order to be put in place which would require a public consultation to take place before implementation. Although such schemes could be considered under the current funding arrangements, no specific commitments could be given regarding particular sites without detailed assessment.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

A presentation will be provided for this item.

The Committee considered a presentation of the Director of Environment and Transport which provided an update on delivery of the Melton Mowbray Distribution Road which was nearing completion. A copy of the presentation marked ‘Agenda Item ‘10’ is filed with these minutes.

Arising from discussion, the following points were noted:

i)        The Chairman thanked Officers for arranging a site visit for Committee Members which helped them understand the complexity of the project which was 10 years in the making. It was noted that there was some outstanding work that needed to be carried out on the road but this was dependant on dry weather conditions. The scheme was, however, still on schedule to be opening in late spring 2026.

ii)      Officers were commended for the delivery of the scheme which was of significant benefit for the community and the wider area. It was highlighted that the process for the naming of the road was well underway and suggestions from local residents had been put forward. The set list would be approved through both the street naming authority and the County Council with a public vote on the shortlist then taking place.

iii)     Members requested that Officers consider providing the Committee with an evaluation of the project at a future meeting following the scheme being opened. It was suggested this would help Members get an understanding on how the project developed through its various stages and what learning could be taken from the scheme.

RESOLVED:

a)    That the contents of the presentation be noted:

b)    That the Director of Environment and Transport be requested to present a report at a future meeting of the Committee providing an evaluation of the Melton Mowbray Distribution Road scheme.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Environment and Transport which provided an overview of the Healthy Streets approach, its strategic alignment and practical applications for the benefit of Leicestershire communities. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item ‘11’ is filed with these minutes.

Arising from discussion, the following points were noted:

i)        A Member commented that the scheme appeared to be very positive, noting that south Leicestershire already had one such scheme in place and referenced the extensive network of paths in areas such as Blaby, Glen Parva, Whetstone and Countesthorpe. The Member sought reassurance regarding the inclusion of the canal footpath in planning work, given the number of local paths connecting to it, and suggested that large district parks should also be in the mapping.

ii)      It was noted that Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan contact details would be shared with Members as these would be key to implementing the Healthy Streets principles. Members also noted that the recent Big Travel Survey included both policy questions and an interactive map where residents could pinpoint locations and suggest improvements. A significant number of comments had been received and would be built into future work. The mapping tool from the survey would remain open to allow ongoing public suggestions.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

The next meeting of the Highways, Transport and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be held on 5 March 2026.

The next meeting of the Highways, Transport and Waste Overview and Scrutiny Committee was confirmed as 5 March 2026 at 2.00pm.