Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Bulletin, autumn 2025 (edition 99)

Fuel poverty project wins national recognition

The Borough Council's commitment to tackling fuel poverty has achieved national recognition.

Three council projects have been highly commended by the Association of Safety and Compliance Professionals (ASCP).

The commendation, for Best Initiative to Combat Fuel Poverty, recognises an organisation that has implemented successful initiatives to support residents and help them save money.

The council initiatives commended were:

Warm Welcome

Sixty-two volunteer-run Warm Welcome venues offer free hot drinks and a friendly space, helping combat social isolation and connect residents with community services.

The council recently secured £63,000 from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, helping 42 local voluntary and community organisations provide Warm Welcome sessions.

During winter 2024-25, more than 125 weekly sessions saw 16,000 visits, supported by 287 volunteers. In one of the coldest weeks, 778 individuals attended a session.

Housing and respiratory illness project

The housing and respiratory illness project, hosted by the Borough Council, serves all seven Leicestershire districts.

The team set up a reporting service for health and social care professionals to flag damp and mould issues, which are then addressed. Plus, existing housing staff across the county receive free training to ensure they are kept up to date on new law and best practice.

Since the service has been implemented so far, 120 cases of damp and mould in vulnerable homes have been reported, with 81 resolved and the rest ongoing.

A new strand of the project is working with University of Leicester to better understand the types of mould found in homes.

Warmer houses

The council was awarded £1.4 million last year through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund scheme, to install external wall insulation (EWI) on 103 council homes across the borough, making them warmer and more economical to heat.

The council has identified a further 700 solid wall homes in its housing stock, all built in the post-war period, that would be suitable for EWI in the future.

Another 13 council-owned properties also received EWI via funding sourced from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Cllr Michael Mullaney, Executive Member for Housing & Community Safety at the Borough Council said: “The council is dedicated to tackling fuel poverty by improving building energy efficiency, offering support and advice to residents, and organising community projects. This all helps to combat the fuel poverty crisis.

"I am delighted this work is being acknowledged. This area is incredibly important, and I want to extend my congratulations and gratitude to everyone involved in these projects for their dedication and hard work."

Have your say on budget cuts

The council will launch a 'have your say' opportunity in September on what residents think about government's plans to reduce funding to councils like Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council in advance of its budget setting process.

Look out for more information which will be published via this website and the local press. Get notified by email - select news updates or call 01455 238141 to request a paper copy.

Food waste collection trucks need a name

As part of the Borough Council’s upcoming food waste collection service launching in Spring 2026 and funded by the UK government’s waste reforms, residents are invited to take part in a light-hearted competition to name the council’s new food waste trucks.

This is a great opportunity to get creative and suggest fun, inspiring names that will give the fleet some extra character. Beyond the fun, the new service plays a vital role in reducing carbon emissions by capturing food waste and recycling it into biogas - a renewable energy source that helps cut our reliance on fossil fuels.

Every bit of food waste collected contributes to a cleaner, greener future.

Good luck and we look forward to receiving your entries: help name our food waste collection trucks

Autumn coat exchange

A coat exchange scheme is coming to venues across Hinckley and Bosworth this autumn.

Across October and November, residents will be able to donate and /or collect used coats in good condition from locations across the borough.

The scheme aims to reduce the cost-of-living burden for local people, while an upturn in reusing and recycling will have a positive environmental impact.

There will be around 24 venues accepting donations. Of these, about a dozen will also host a clothing rail from which residents can collect coats and jackets, free of charge.

Residents will not need to donate a coat to collect a coat, and there will be no limit on the number of garments people can take, within reason. Donations of warm coats and waterproofs for all ages will be accepted – from babies upwards.

Once donated, coats will be moved around the borough before being available for collection. This is so nobody will have their new coat recognised locally by the previous owner.

Any surplus coats at the end of the scheme will be donated to local charities and schemes supporting vulnerable residents.
 
Acceptable items:

• Winter coats
• Parkas
• Fleece jackets
• Waterproofs
• Thermal jackets
• Puffy/down jackets
• Trench coats
• All-in-ones

 Unacceptable items:

• Items with holes or tears
• Stains or heavy wear
• Dirty or unwashed clothing
• Non-seasonal
• Promotional or corporate logo items
• Personalised items (name tags)
• Broken zips, fastenings or buttons

Cllr Michael Mullaney, Executive Member for Community Safety, said: "Following the success of our school uniform swap shops, it’s fantastic to see the same spirit of community being extended to the coat exchange initiative.

“I would like to thank everyone who is making this possible - from those generously donating coats to the dedicated volunteers supporting the exchange across our venues.”

Don't lose the right to vote in elections

Did you know, in Great Britain, only 36% of people who have lived in their house for a year or less are registered to vote? (Source: Electoral Commission)  

You should remember to re-register to vote every time you move, but the annual electoral registration canvass is here to give everyone a chance to update their details and get ready to vote.

You will be receiving a letter or an email (if you haven’t already) asking you to check if the information on the electoral register for your household is correct. If you’ve not already responded, read the instructions carefully to find out what you need to do next. 

If you are required to respond, there are lots of ways to do it:

• Go online (householdresponse.com)
• Call Freephone 0800 884 0701
• Text NOCHANGE and your security code to 80212

If you haven’t responded by 9 October 2025, you may be visited by one of our electoral registration canvassers.

But I already pay council tax! Doesn’t this mean I’m already registered?

This is a myth! Electoral registration and council tax are two separate processes with different eligibility requirements. Your registration to vote is your responsibility and you must remember to re-register every time you move.

I don’t have any changes at my address - do I need to respond?

If your letter tells you to respond, then yes! Reporting that there are no changes at your address means we won’t need to send you any reminders or knock on your door later in the year.

Why is it important to be on the electoral register?

If you’re not on the electoral register, you won’t be able to vote in any elections. It may affect your ability to get credit, a mortgage or even a mobile phone contract. Your vote matters, so don’t lose it!

Need help? Contact the Electoral Services Team:

• Tel: 01455 255830 / 01455 255672
• Email: Electoral Registrations contact form
• Address: Electoral Services Office, Hinckley Hub, Rugby Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 0FR
• Website: Elections and voting

Clampdown on roadside littering

THE Borough Council will be adopting civil enforcement powers to crack down on roadside littering and hold vehicle owners accountable for waste thrown from their cars.

The powers, under the terms of the Littering from Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018, allow the council to issue a penalty notice (PN) to the registered keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown, regardless of who committed the act. 

This process is more streamlined and quicker than the criminal route to prosecution but still sends a strong message to anyone who may be tempted to litter.

As part of the process, drivers are asked to submit dashcam footage if they record evidence of littering from vehicles.

Submissions must clearly show the offence and the vehicle’s registration number. Submissions can be made via litter and litter bins

However, residents are reminded that littering from vehicles remains a criminal offence and can be reported to the council, even without dashcam footage.

While video or photographic evidence is helpful and encouraged, it is not essential for the council to act.

A clear witness statement alone can be sufficient for investigation and enforcement. Being found guilty of littering can result in a fine of £400.

Councillor Lynda Hodgkins, Executive Member for Clean Neighbourhood Services said: “We have a zero-tolerance approach to littering of any kind across Hinckley and Bosworth.

“We urge residents to continue reporting incidents of littering - whether they have captured it on camera or not.

“It’s our responsibility to determine the appropriate process, and every report helps us keep our communities clean.

Last updated: 01/09/2025 10:53