Requests for a copy of a Section 106 Agreement must be made in writing, preferably via email to planning@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

The request must contain the first line of the address of the property in question, if it relates to an indivdual property, or contain a plan if it relates to an area of land.

Please send in an extract from their local serch results providing details of the S106 which will provide more information to identify the correct one.

A copy of the Section 106 will then be sent out in the same way that the request was received (if received via email it will be sent via email).

This fee attached to this service is 50.00 (inc. VAT) per document page.

Examples of Clinical waste include human tissue, blood or other bodily fluids, excretions, drugs or other pharmaceutical products, swabs or dressings and; syringes, needles or other sharp instruments.

There is no charge for the removal of clinical waste from domestic properties, We do not collect from commercial properties. We collect clinical waste such as sharps and needles which are placed in a sharps box. These can be obtained from your local surgery or health centre.

We collect clinical waste on Wednesday mornings from your doorstep. These will need to be booked in advance before the Monday prior to collection.

We can collect boxes with a Yellow, Orange, Red, Blue, Purple or Green lid.

Land Charges and Property Searches (also known as LLC1, CON29 or CON29O) form part of the conveyancing process when re-mortgaging or buying/selling a property. The Local Land Charge Service is responsible for maintaining the Local Land Charges Register and for providing Offiicial Local Authority Searches of that Register and other records held by the Council.

Blaby District Council currently provide the Land Charge Service on behalf of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, along with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council.

Application forms can be found here: www.leicestershiresearches.co.uk or requests can be e-mailed directly to land.charges@blaby.gov.uk or posted to the followig address:

Local Land Charges
Blaby District Council
Council Offices
Desford Road
Narborough
Leicester
LE19 2EP

Blaby District Council Telephone Number : 0116 272 7578

Land Searches are currently complted in approximately 10 to 15 working days depending on demand.

For more information on Land Search fees, please contact Blaby District Council using the contact  information above.

Report any problems to Area Traffic Control office on 0116 2995665

The more moisture produced in your home, the greater are the chances of condensation, unless there is adequate ventilation.  Nobody likes draughts, but some ventilation is essential.
Help to reduce condensation that has built up overnight by opening to the first notch a small window downstairs and a small window upstairs.  (They should be on opposite sides of the house, or diagonally opposite if you live in a flat).  At the same time, open the interior room doors, this will allow drier air to circulate throughout your home.  This should be carried out for as long as possible each day.
Ventilate your bedroom by leaving a window slightly open at night, or use trickle ventilators if fitted.
Reduce the risk of mildew on clothes and other stored items, by allowing air to circulate round them; Remove “false” wardrobe backs or drill breather holes in them; Place furniture on blocks to allow air to circulate underneath; Keep a small gap between large pieces of furniture and the walls, and where possible place wardrobes and furniture next to internal walls instead of external ones;
Pull shelves away from the backs of wardrobes and cupboards; never overfill wardrobes and cupboards as it restricts air circulation.
Important note:
Make sure that accessible windows will not cause a security problem - remember to close windows when you go out.
If you have an extractor fan use it when cooking or having a bath /shower to stop the windows getting steamed up and keep it running for a while after you have finished.

Never block a chimney up completely.  If you are blocking up a fireplace, fit an air vent to allow ventilation.

Don’t overfill cupboards and wardrobes.   Always make sure that some air can circulate freely by fitting ventilators in doors and leaving a space at the back of the shelves.

When filling your bath, run the cold water first then add the hot - it will reduce the steam by 90% which leads to condensation.

Don’t allow kettles and pans to boil away any longer than is necessary.
Always cook with pan lids on, and turn the heat down once the water has boiled.  Only use the minimum amount of water for cooking vegetables

 
Keep kitchen and bathroom doors shut, particularly when cooking, washing or bathing – otherwise water vapour will spread right through the house and condensation will probably reach other rooms.

Drying clothes indoors, particularly on radiators, can increase condensation unless you open a window to allow air to circulate.  Up to 9 pints of excess water can be produced by drying your clothes inside.  Hang your washing outside to dry if at all possible, or hang it in the bathroom with the door closed and a window slightly open or extractor fan on.  Don't be tempted to put it on radiators or in front of a radiant heater.
If you have a tumble dryer which is not vented to the outside you will need to allow more ventilation when you use it.

Condensation forms more easily on cold surfaces in the home, insulation and draught proofing can help keep your home warmer.  Loft and wall insulation are the most effective forms of insulation.  If you use draught proofing remember that you should not block permanent ventilators or airbricks and do not draught proof kitchen or bathroom windows.  You may be eligible for financial assistance for insulation and heating.  Call  Warm Streets on 0800 512 012 for more information.

To kill and remove mould, wipe down or spray walls and window frames with a fungicidal wash that carries a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 'approval number', and ensure that you follow the instructions for its safe use.  These fungicidal washes are often available at local supermarkets.  Dry-clean mildewed clothes, and shampoo carpets.  Do not try to remove mould by using a brush or vacuum cleaner.
After treatment, redecorate using good-quality fungicidal paint and a fungicidal resistant wall paper paste to help prevent mould recurring.  The effect of fungicidal or anti-condensation paint is destroyed if covered with ordinary paint or wallpaper.
The only permanent cure is to reduce the amount of condensation in your home.  Remember, the way you use your home affects the amount of condensation you get. 

What are the key points to remember to control condensation?

• Try to reduce the amount of moisture you produce
• Improve ventilation in your home
• Try and maintain an adequate temperature throughout your home

If your home is damp or has lots of condensation, the chances are the house will be a cold house.  Living in a cold house may lead to negative health effects.  Therefore it is important to keep your house warm.
Mould produces tiny spores which can cause an allergic reaction and make existing breathing problems worse.  However house dust mites are the most common triggers of asthma rather than mould growth.  House dust mites thrive where the amount of ventilation is reduced, warmer indoor temperatures and high humidity.  These conditions can also lead to condensation.

For mould growth to occur there needs to be a sufficient amount of water available, this is why mould growth often occurs with condensation or dampness. This type of mould looks like “black spots” and is typically found along skirting boards or ceiling edges.

Every home gets condensation at some time – usually when lots of moisture and steam are being produced, for instance at bath-times, when a main meal is being cooked or when clothes are being washed.  It is quite normal to find your bedroom windows misted up in the morning after a cold night. 
Air can only hold a certain amount of water vapour – the warmer it is the more it can hold.  If air is cooled by contact with a cold surface such as a mirror, a window or even a wall, the water vapour will turn into droplets of water-condensation.  So the warmer you keep your home the less likely you are to get condensation.

If you are not sure what is causing the damp in your home, start by checking pipes and overflows and under sinks to see if there are any obvious leaks.  Have a look outside, too – you may be able to see if there are slates missing from the roof or cracked gutters or rainwater pipes.
If you live in a new or recently modernised house or flat, don’t forget that it may not have dried out from the water remaining after the building work.  It usually takes 9 to 18 months for this to happen and you may need to use more heat during that time.

All rented properties should have fixed heating; typically this would be a gas or oil central heating system or night storage heaters.  Windows should also be able to be opened so that the property can be ventilated daily.
If your property does not have sufficient heating and/or ventilation then you need to contact your landlord and ask them to remedy the situation.
We suggest you put this in writing stating what the problem is, what reasonable steps you would like your landlord to take and by what time.  If this does not happen within a reasonable timescale then you should contact our customer services team on  0116 288 8961 who will refer the case to our Private Sector Housing team for investigation.

Damp often leaves a “tide” mark or staining around an area.  It is often as a result of a water leak or building defect in some way.  For example, it can be as a result of:
• Leaking water pipes, toilets or basins.
• Missing roof tiles, broken/blocked roof gutters or pipes or even disrepair to windows.
• Rising damp due to defective or missing damp proofing, or even changes to the ground level outside,
Often there is little or no mould growth around the tide mark or stained area, though mould can grow elsewhere in the property due to the increase in moisture.
If you have no leaks or water coming into your property, if you are adequately heating the property and your heating is working correctly but you still have mould growing, then you may have a condensation issue.  You will then need to take steps to reduce moisture and wash down mould as outlined in the factsheet.

The air around us holds moisture even if you cannot see it.  The warmer the air the more moisture/water it can hold.  This moisture becomes condensation when it meets cold surfaces in the home and is most evident on tiles, windows or bathroom mirrors.  It also occurs on north facing walls or areas where there is little air movement, for example behind wardrobes, behind beds or in corners.
Condensation may make walls feel wet to the touch and may not be noticeable until mould starts to grow.
Condensation can be caused by the property’s age or design, too much moisture produced in the property, a lack of heating or issues with the heating system, a lack of ventilation or any combination of the above.

Is it condensation?

Condensation is not the only cause of damp. It cam also come from leaking pipes, wastes or overflows; rain seeping through the roof where a tile or slate is missing, spilling from a blocked gutter, penetrating around window frames or leaking through a cracked pipe or rising damp due to a defective damp course or because there is no damp course.

There is no land registered as Common Land within Oadby & Wigston.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/managing-common-land -

To object to a new TPO or to express your support for it, write to us within the time allowed, usually 28 days after the order has been made. We will consider your comments when deciding whether or not to confirm the TPO.

Yes. When we make a TPO, we will send copies to the owner of the property and any adjoining properties which are affected.

If you wish to carry out work to a tree protected by a TPO you must fill in the TPO application form 31 which can be found on the Planning Portal– with any necessary supporting information.  

No, as a public body we cannot make any recommendations. However, see the well qualified Arborists and Tree Surgeons recommended by the Arboricultural Association at via their website at: http://www.trees.org.uk/Find-a-professional.

The owner of a protected tree is responsible for its maintenance, condition and any damage it causes. However, if you are the owner, you will still need to get Consent from us before carrying out most types of work. Tree work is a dangerous and highly skilled operation and trees are complex living structures which are easily damaged by poor quality or unsympathetic tree work. We strongly advise you to talk to a professional tree surgeon or arborist to advise you and undertake any work needed.

You can contact the Council on (0116) 2888961 and the Customer Service team will be able to take the relevant details from you and you will receive formal notification if the property has a TPO or not. When you are buying a property the presence of a TPO should be revealed by the search of the local land charges register.

All types of trees, native and ornamental, including hedgerow trees, may be the subject of a TPO. A TPO cannot protect hedges, bushes, or shrubs.

A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is an order made by a local planning authority, such as Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, which makes it an offence to cut down, lop, top, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree without first getting permission from us. They are usually made to protect trees that make a significant contribution to a public amenity or area. They may particularly be made when it is felt that a tree may be under threat.

The role of the Local Plan is to set out the long-term development strategy for the Borough area. All planning decisions that are made by the Council need to be in line with the Local Plan. Because of this, if residents or businesses would like to influence how the Borough changes in the future and where and how development takes place they will need to engage with the Council through the Local Plan public consultation process.
 
Local Plans consider the future role of places and make decisions on where new development should be concentrated. The Local Plan will identify: where, and how many, new homes should be built; the locations where businesses need more land to expand; which areas need to be regenerated; where new shops should be located; and which areas should be protected from development (such as open spaces and the countryside).

Call National Grid free on 0800 111 999

The Family Information Directory was created and is maintained by Leicestershire County Council.
The Family Information Directory (FID) includes information on:
• -childcare, including day nurseries, pre-schools, childminders and out of school clubs
• -children's activities
• -support groups
• -advice and guidance
• -disability and special educational needs groups (local offer)
• -education, including private tuition
http://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/education-and-children/social-care-and-supporting-families/family-information-directory

For more information contact the Family Information Service; Tel: 0116 305 6545, Email: family@leics.gov.uk
The Family Information Service (FIS) provides information, advice and guidance to all families including those who have children or young people with special educational needs or disability. They also provide this service to professionals who work with children, young people and families.

Free, independent, confidential and impartial advice and information services including welfare benefits, employment, debt, housing, family, education, consumer, health, immigration, help with appeals, tribunals and advocacy.

Telephone CAB 0808 278 7854 (9am -430pm)

Transport Bookings (Mon-Thurs) - 0116 2887482 

If you have no or low water pressure there may be  a problem in the area. In the first instance call Severn Trent Water on 0800 783 4444.

Call Western Power Distribution on 0800 6783 105

Warden accommodation: These are suited locks so the council will have to carry out this work for you. You cannot get a private contractor to do this work. The council can change your locks but there will be a charge involved.

Flats: You may be able to employ a private contractor to carry out this work for you, but the locks will need ot be replaced like for like and must ensure they meet fire regulations.

House: You can employ a private contractor to carry out this work for you, there is no need to advise the council unless you want to ask them to change your lock, for which there will be a charge.

Legislation

Street naming and numbering is a statutory function. The relevant powers for local authorities are contained in sections 64 and 65 of the Towns Improvement Clauses Act 1847 and sections 17, 18 and 19 of the Public Health Act 1925. This legislation requires the local authority to prepare street naming and numbering schemes and to maintain a good standard of street name plates.

New estates

It is important that developers apply to the Council at an early stage for a street numbering and naming scheme. The Council will consult with the relevent Electeced prior to an official scheme being issued. We will normally ask the developer for suggestions for street names based upon the history and/or locality of the area. Provided those suggested are not similar to any street name that already exists in the area, these may be put forward for approval to the Services Committee.

Following agreement with the developer to the proposed street naming and numbering, we will notify the relevant authorities and statutory undertakers of the approved scheme. Royal Mail will be asked to allocate postcodes. Royal Mail will not issue a postcode until informed by the local authority that an address has been allocated. An address is not complete without the correct postcode.

When the street name has been agreed a layout plan and a street numbering and naming schedule is prepared. This allocates a number and street name to the each of the developer’s plot numbers. Purchasers of new properties should be careful when passing on their new address details that they are using the postal number and street name, not the plot number and development name, as the two will not necessarily be the same.

Small developments

Single properties or small developments are generally built on infill plots, large gardens or on the site of previously demolished properties. These will be numbered within the existing sequence. Where this is not possible, letter suffixes (for example 1A, 1B and so on) will be used where necessary. Where a development takes the place on the site of a demolished property, the new building may inherit the existing number.

Building names

Whilst we have no objection to a house name being added to an existing postal address it cannot replace the street number, which must always be used.

It is a requirement that all properties must have a street number and not a house name alone, as a number readily identifies the location of a property in a road. The only exception to this will be on the rare occasions, where a street numbering sequence does not exist. When this does occur, we will accept the use of a building name to identify the property.

Street numbers and building names must always be prominently displayed where they can be easily read from the public highway.

Street name plates

When a road is built as part of a new development, it is the responsibility of the developer to arrange for the installation of the appropriate street name plate to the Councils specification. 

Street name plate repairs or replacements can be reported by telephone on Leicester (0116) 2888961 to Corporate Assets

Requesting a property number and street name

For any requests for a new or revised property number or street name please contact Leicestershire Building Control Partnership which is based at Blaby District Council 0116 2727533 

Postcodes

The Council are not responsible for the issuing of new postcodes. All matters relating to postcodes are the responsibility of Royal Mail. However, Royal Mail will not issue a postcode for a new street or property until they have been officially notified of the scheme by the Council.

Postcodes for commercial premises are allocated in the same way as residential premises but some companies or businesses can apply to Royal Mail for its own unique code (known as a large user code). If you receive at least 500 items of mail a day you may be eligible for a unique large user postcode. Applications for a large user code are the responsibility of the end user and should be made direct to Royal Mail.

All enquiries about postcodes should be dealt directly with Royal Mail.

Email: addressdevelopment@royalmail.com

By post:
 Address Management Unit,
 Royal Mail,
 Castle Forgate,
 SHREWSBURY,
 SY1 1AA

By telephone: 0845 604 5060

By facsimile: 0845 605 4433

Searches for postcodes can also be carried out on the Royal Mail web site.

Use of metal detectors are forbidden on the Borough's parks

The Records Office on Long Street, Wigston holds records from Domesday book to yesterday including archives, books, newspapers, maps, photographs, videos and sound recordings for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland.
The Records Office enables you to access all their resources to find out about your family tree, house history, local study, school, college or university projects etc
The collections are free to access.
Contact –
Tel: 0116 2571080
Email: recordoffice@leics.gov.uk
 
 

Asbestos is a mineral fibre that was used for many years due to its strength and resistance to heat and oil. If your property is more than 15 years old, it is possible that it contains materials made from asbestos. Asbestos is classed as 'special waste' which means that it has to be dealt with differently.
 
What to do if you have asbestos in the home
 
The general rule is to always leave asbestos alone, it is usually safe unless it is damaged or disturbed.
 
Paint indoor materials with an alkali resistant paint such as PVA (polyvinyl acetate) emulsion and never sand, drill or saw asbestos materials.
 
Always seek advice before thinking of removing asbestos and follow the basic rules if carrying out asbestos cement removal work. Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or large areas of insulation board by yourself as these materials can only be safely removed by a licensed contractor.
 
If you are not sure if a material is asbestos you could arrange for a private contractor to come out to have a look at the material. If necessary they can take a section of the suspected asbestos and have it tested in a laboratory.
 
Disposal of asbestos waste

You can dispose of asbestos at the following recycling and household waste sites:

- Whetstone

- Kibworth

- Mountsorrel

- Coalville

You will need to obtain a temporary permit to dispose of asbestos. This permit is free of charge and allows you a 14 day period in which to attend the tip. There will be a charge for disposal of £10.00 per 8x4 sheet to be paid at the tip by card only. 

Please contact Leicestershire County Council on (0116) 305 0001 to apply for a permit.
 
If, as a house holder, you intend to transport asbestos cement waste in your own vehicle, you do not need to be a registered carrier provided that it is your own waste. You will however, require this permit to be allowed to unload. You should take the following steps to ensure that asbestos does not contaminate your car:-
 
• spray sheets of asbestos cement with water,
• double wrap or double bag the asbestos cement with heavy duty polythene,
• ensure the wrapping is secured with tape, and
• make sure vehicle occupants do not have access to the asbestos waste.

For a collection service or to dispose of large amounts of asbestos, you will need to contact a licensed private company.
Asbestos advice
Do not panic if you think you have asbestos in your home - it is usually only a problem if it is disturbed. Do not drill, saw or disturb materials that contain asbestos and do seek advice if you think you have got a problem with asbestos in your home.

When a property is registered, Land Registry creates a drawing called a ‘title plan’. This will only show the general boundaries of the property, unless the previous owners had worked out the exact boundaries.
You can get a copy of the title plan for any registered property in England and Wales.
Boundary agreements
You and your neighbours can decide where the boundaries between your properties are by making a boundary agreement. Check your deeds first to see if there are any existing boundary agreements on any of your properties. You can make a new agreement if there aren’t.
If possible, you should have a copy of your boundary agreement in writing, signed by you and your neighbours.

Boundary features

A boundary feature is any structure that separates your property from your neighbour’s, eg a fence, wall or hedge. There are no laws about who owns these or which side of the boundary feature you’re responsible for - you can decide this in your boundary agreement.

Working out the exact boundary

You can apply to set the exact boundary for your land or property if you want to.
You should get as much information as possible from your title plan, registry documents and other documentation before you apply. You can get information about neighbouring properties from the Land Registry.
You can apply to have your boundary agreement added to the title plan of your and your neighbours’ properties. Fill in form AP1 and send it to Land Registry with a copy of the boundary agreement and the appropriate fee.
You can also ask a surveyor to draw up a detailed plan and send this to Land Registry, with a completed application to determine the exact line of a boundary, £90 fee and any agreements with neighbours.

Neighbour disputes about boundaries

If you haven’t sent a signed agreement from your neighbours with your application, Land Registry will contact them to check they’re happy with your plan.
Land Registry will refer the dispute to the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Land Registration) if you and your neighbour can’t agree on the boundaries. The tribunal will make a decision on what should happen - you may have to go to a hearing.
Find out more about property disputes and boundaries from Land Registry.
Registration mistakes

If you think there’s a mistake in your registration, write to Land Registry and explain what’s wrong.

Citizen Centre
PO Box 6350
Coventry
CV3 9LP

To register land, obtain copies of title deeds and property boundary queries, contact

Land Registry
Westbridge Place
Leicester
LE3 5DR
Tel: 0300 006 0411

All equipment including profiling beds, riser/recliner chairs recommended by OWBC and/or Leicestershire County Council is supplied by Medequip Community Equipment Service

If you are aware of any equipment that is no longer needed it is important to advise the person/family to contact Medequip to arrange its collection, even if in need of or beyond repair.

If the equipment was purchased privately, the customer will have to arrange for either a private contractor or the company the items were purchased from to collect the items.
If you are aware of any equipment that is no longer needed it is important to advise the person/family to contact Medequip to arrange its collection, even if in need of or beyond repair.

If the equipment was purchased privately, the customer will have to arrange for either a private contractor or the company the items were purchased from to collect the items.

Please visit their website for more details:
https://www.medequip-uk.com/
Recycling Equipment
If you have already benefited from equipment loaned to you that you no longer need, Medequip can arrange a free collection, to recycle and help others in need. To find out more visit returning equipment or call us on 0116 216 8686 or email LLRcommunityequipment@medequip-uk.com. Alternatively, you can return equipment directly to our service centre.

Medequip
Unit B Wharf Way
Glen Parva
Leicester
LE2 9TF

Email:LLRcommunityequipment@medequip-uk.com
Tel: 0116 216 8686
Opening Hours: 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday - Friday
8:00am to 4:00pm Saturday

Following the change to the Waste & Recycling policy there are no longer any public bottle banks within the borough.

Residents wishing to dispose of Glass within the borough can use there recycling bin to dispose of glass bottle and recyclable glass and it will collected from the address on their collection day.

For Glass that is not recyclable (i.e Mirrors) or broken glass can be disposed of at the waste and recycling site on Wigston Road, Oadby or one of the other waste and recycling sites across the county.

for further information about the waste and recycling site please click the link below;

https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/tip_opening_times

Nationality Checking Service
 
 Residents of Oadby and Wigston (as well as the rest of Leicestershire) who wish to use the Nationality Checking Service (NCS) to apply for British citizenship, should contact Leicester City Council as they are the closest provider of the service. 
 
Phone: 0116 454 1000

Email: register.office@leicester.gov.uk
 

Register Office
Town Hall (Bowling Green Street entrance)
Town Hall Square
Leicester
LE1 9BG

There are a number of ways to dispose of commercial waste:
 
• use a licensed waste contractor
• take your waste to a waste transfer station
• hire a skip
Whetstone Transfer Station
You can take some types of business and commercial waste to the Whetstone Transfer Station. As a trade user you must report to the weighbridge when you arrive.
Opening hours
Monday - Friday: 8.15am - 4.15pm
Saturday: 8.15am - 12noon
Charges for disposing waste
There is a minimum charge of £28.50 (including VAT) for disposing waste.
If you are disposing waste which weighs a full tonne, you will be charged the rate per tonne for that particular waste.
If the waste weighs less than a tonne you will either pay a proportion of the charge or the minimum charge, whichever is greater.
Charges vary for different types of waste.
Making payment
We accept payment by cash, credit or debit card, cheque or on account.
To set up an account you will need to send Leicestershire County Council 2 trade references written on headed paper for the attention of Waste Management Group.
Email: waste@leics.gov.uk
Fax: 0116 305 8128

County Hall
Glenfield
Leicester
LE3 8RJ

All deaths must be registered within 5 days. You can register a death that took place in the areas covered by Leicestershire County Council by booking an appointment at any of our registration offices.
 
Call 0116 3056509 to book an appointment.
 
The nearest place to register a death is at the Bassett Street Centre in South Wigston.

Your baby’s birth must be registered within 42 days of the child being born. 
 
To book an appointment, telephone 0116 3056565
 
Or book online at https://s14.sishost.co.uk/LS/Agenda/OnlineBookings/Signup.aspx
 
The nearest place to register a birth is at the Bassett Street Centre in South Wigston.

 

Foxes are a protected species so although they can be a nuisance and cause damage.
 
Mating season is between December and February – this is when you will hear ‘unearthly screams’ in the night.
 
Cubs are born during March and April.
 
It is the responsibility of the property owner to deal with problem foxes. Advice is to deter them from the garden.
 
 Advice
 
• Do not feed foxes and make sure they cannot access food left out for other wildlife
• Any food for birds on a table should be at least 5 foot up off the floor so that foxes can’t reach it.
• Clear away wind-fallen fruit from trees
• Ensure bins are secure and don’t leave rubbish sacks outside at night
• The perimeter of the garden could have a 6 foot wire fence put in place to prevent foxes coming in to the garden but these are unsightly
• Provide secure, fox proof accommodation for vulnerable livestock at night. Foxes can bite through ordinary chicken wire as they have strong jaws and are powerful diggers
 Legal methods of fox control
 
Baited trapping, shooting and snaring are all legal although shooting could become a public nuisance. Dead poultry shouldn’t be used as bait due to the risk of spread of disease.
 
Prohibited methods
 
Self-locking snares, bow or crossbow, live decoy or explosives are prohibited. It is also illegal to purposely have your dog chase a fox from your garden.
 
For more information on foxes call 01892 826222

Family Support Group for families with children and young people aged 0-25 years with additional needs or disabilities.
 
 
For a coffee, chat or information.
 
Menphys Centre
Launceston Road
Wigston
Leicestershire
LE18 2FR
 
2nd Friday of every month during term time 10am -12pm

Vans, pick-ups and cars with trailers, and any vehicle bringing asbestos, chemicals or liquid paint, must have a Waste Permit.

Oadby Recycling And Household Waste Site
Wigston Road,Oadby
Leicestershire, LE2 5JE

Between April 1^st to September 30^th

Opening Times:

Sat/Sun/Mon 9-5 Tues & Weds 9-7
Thursday - Friday: Closed

Between October 1^st to March 31^st

Opening Times:

Monday - Wednesday: 9:00-16:00
Thursday - Friday: Closed
Saturday - Sunday: 9:00-16:00

This site is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

There is more useful information about Oadby Waste Site on the Leicestershire County Council website.

Located at –
 
42-44 Bushloe End
Wigston Magna
Leicestershire
LE18 2BA
 
0116 2886243 or 0116 2882632
 
wigstonfwkmuseum@live.co.uk
 
 
 Opening Times

Open 2pm to 5pm every Sunday and the first Saturday of the month also Bank Holiday Mondays.
Last entry 4pm
Closed January and February, Christmas and New year.
 
 
 Admission prices
 
Adults £3.50
Children £2.00
Students £3.00
Family Ticket £10.00 (2 adults and up to 3 children)
 
Annual membership

Family £13.00
Adult £8.00
Senior/junior/student £5.00
Group/business £15.00
Life membership £110.00
 
Annual membership includes free admission to the museum plus 2 bulletins and 2 newsletters during the year.
 
Please send a cheque payable to ‘Wigston Framework Knitters Museum Ltd’ together with your name, address and email to –
 
Mrs. S. Milner
56 Highfield Drive
Wigston
Leicestershire
LE18 1NP

If you or anyone else is in danger as a result of a flood, or for help protecting your property, call 999. If there is no immediate danger call 101.
For Sandbags and assistance with housing and shelter, contact Oadby & Wigston Council on 0116 2888961 or if Out of Office Hours call 0800 0839695
If the flood is coming from a river call the Environmental Agency – Floodline 0345 988 1188
If the flood is from a roadside drain, ditch, stream or is surface water, call Leicestershire County Council on 0116 3050001 or email flooding@leics.gov.uk

If the flood is from a public sewer or water main, call Severn Trent on 0800 783 4444

Please complete the following LCC form on behalf of the resident

https://leicestershirecc-self.achieveservice.com/service/Flood-Report

Please record all call regarding flooding on the report of flooding CRM - you will find this here -                                          All service areas/record general enquiry/report of flooding 

 
Accommodation Certificates are required by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office and by the British High Commission in the relevant country, for any individuals requiring a visa application to enter and to reside in the UK with relatives, on a permanent or semi permanent basis.
 
The application is made by the householder in the United Kingdom.
 
The certificate, if granted, shows that the property is considered to provide a safe and healthy environment for the occupants and that the property satisfies the overcrowding standard in the Housing Acts 1985 and 2004.
 
To arrange an inspection contact the Environmental Health Team via the switchboard on 0116 2888961.
 
To obtain a certificate an officer must inspect your property in order to assess its condition and suitability for occupation. It will be necessary to measure each room and assess any hazards that may be present. The room sizes will be used to calculate the maximum number of people able to live in the property, as a single household, therefore ensuring the property is not overcrowded.

Accommodation Certificate is currently £185.00 as of 01/04/2025.  To change any details on the certificate costs £30.00

 

Oadby & Wigston Borough Council investigate complaints of overcrowded houses using a standard contained within the Housing Act 1985.
 
Many people who contact us find they are not legally overcrowded even though their living conditions are very cramped.
 
The standard 
This standard is used for measuring overcrowding and includes any habitable room but does not include non-habitable rooms such as a bathroom, a non-dining kitchen or hallway.
 
A habitable room includes a bedroom, living room, dining room, study etc
 
Rooms or part of room with ceilings less than five feet for example in an attic, are not included in the measurements. When measuring rooms, bay windows, cupboards and chimney alcoves are included unless the ceiling height is less than five foot.
 
The standard is divided in to 3 sections-

 
ROOM STANDARD

This standard does not include children under 10

SPACE STANDARD

Floor should be measured per room and total of occupiers totalled for the whole dwelling.

Persons counted as follows:

• babies under 1 equal 0 persons
• children 1-10 years equal 1/2 person
• Over 10 years = 1 person

GENDER OVERCROWDING

 
No two persons, over 10 years old, of opposite sex should have to sleep in the same room (unless living as a couple). This does not allow for couples to have a room to themselves-the standard would not be breached if the mother slept in the same room as the daughter and the father with the son.
 
Whichever standard allows the smallest number of occupiers should be used to determine the maximum number of occupants per dwelling.
 
If you think you may be living in an overcrowded property then contact the Environmental Health team via the switchboard on 0116 2888961. We will arrange to inspect your property to advise if yur home is statutorily overcrowded.
 
 
 

Trading Standards

Consumer Helpline - Citizens Advice - 03454 040506

Business and Commercial Helpline or any urgent consumer matters- Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards Department - 0116 3058000 or email tradingstandards@leics.gov.uk

If you think a company has broken the law or acted unfairly, you can report them to Trading Standards.

What can you report to Trading Standards

• Doorstep sellers

•Sellers of counterfeit  or fake items

•Sellers of unsafe electrical items

•Sellers of un-roadworthy or clocked cars

•Dishonest schemes

•Being misled in to buying products or services

•Building work not being carried out properly

•Unsafe items

•Being pressured in to buying something that you don’t want

Trading Standards will then decide whether to investigate the problem. If they do, they may contact the customer for more information. Depending on what they find, they might take action to stop the trader from acting unfairly.

Disposal of Low Energy/Eco Bulbs

As low energy light bulbs often contain small amounts of mercury  they should not be disposed of with household waste.

They can be disposed of at the Oadby and Wigston Recycling Centre for free.

Other locations where low energy  light bulbs can be disposed of for free, can be found at the following link;

http://www.recolight.co.uk/FREE-Recycling/

“Old Style” light bulbs cannot be recycled and must be disposed of with household waste.

Helping Hands

 Helping Hands provide a free drop-in service on welfare benefits, debts, housing, employment, family law, form filling, reading letters, consumer worries, domestic abuse, legal, support people at courts, doctors, social services and tribunals and family breakdowns.

Wigston URC Church, Long Street (0116 2782001)

Thursdays 10am - 1pm

 South Wigston Centre, 66-68 Blaby Road (0116) 2782001

Monday 10.00am – 1.00pm

Wednesdays 10.00am – 1.00pm

Fridays 10.00 – 1.00pm

Trinity Methodist Church, Harborough Road, Oadby (0116 2782001)

Monday 10am – 1pm

 Any more information email office@helpinghandscentre.co.uk

What is Lifeline?

Harborough Lifeline offer an emergency alarm service for anyone who feels vulnerable or alone, whatever their age or needs. Our customers may include:  

• Those with physical disabilities.
• Those with learning difficulties
• Those who live alone
• Those with Sensory Impairment
• Those with limited mobility or those who are at risk of falling
• Anyone who may feel alone or vulnerable for any reason

A lifeline needn’t be a permanent arrangement. Sometimes our clients may only require the service for a few months as additional support at a particularly difficult time such as during an illness or following an operation or discharge from hospital.

How does it work?

When either button is pressed your lifeline unit will call our control centre and you will be immediately connected with one of our team.

If the alarm is triggered our call staff will have instant access to the contact details for friends or family and any other information that you have supplied us with. This means we can make sure you get the right help quickly.

What are the costs?

Setup Fee: £98 (£117.60 inc VAT) Standard & £128 (£153.60)

Lease of Lifeline unit and pendant & 24/7 monitoring: £4.65 per week. That’s just 66p per day.

 

How do I sign up or get more information?

Please contact Harborough lifeline 

Harborough Lifeline

www.harborough.gov.uk/harboroughlifeline/ 

      01858 464499

   lifeline@harborough.gov.uk

      Harborough Lifeline, Harborough District Council, The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 7AG   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High Hedges

A high hedge is defined as a line of two or more evergreen, or semi-evergreen, trees or shrubs which are two or more metres in height and which block light or access to a domestic property.

The Local Authority will act as a neutral ‘third party’ on whether the hedge is affecting the complainant’s reasonable enjoyment of their property. To complain, fill in the application form below and send to planning along with the fee.

High Hedge Complaint Form

Japanese Knotweed / invasive plants can grow up to 20cm every day and through concrete and tarmac.

Property / Land Owners have have a responsibility to:

• prevent invasive, non-native plants on your land spreading into the wild and causing a nuisance
• prevent harmful weeds on your land spreading onto a neighbour’s property

Prevent the spread of invasive, non-native plants

The most commonly found invasive, non-native plants include:

• Japanese knotweed
• giant hogweed
• Himalayan balsam
• Rhododendron ponticum
• New Zealand pigmyweed (this is banned from sale)

Find out how to identify invasive non-native plants.

 For information on how to get rid of invasive plants, plese contact the environment agency on 0370 850 6506 - They can advise if you require a license, best use of sprays/repellents and how to dispose of this waste.

Any complaints of invasive plants, refer to planning enforcement 

How do I obtain a premises licence?

You must submit Form 2 (New Premise Licence) and Form 18 (DPS Consent form) to the Licensing Team

• Pay required fee
• Submit a plan of the premises which will need to be 1cm = 100cm scale
• Send forms to Chief of Police and to the Chief Fire Officer

Premises that are involved with licensable activities must specify a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).

To be a Designated Premises Supervisor, you need to be –

• Over 18
• Must hold a personal licence. If not, must attend a personal licence holders course
• Must be in day to day control of premises

To obtain a personal licence – you apply to the local authority that you live in

To obtain a premises licence – you apply to the local authority the premises is in

Once a premises licence application has been received by the Licensing Team you will need to advertise the application in two ways:

• By displaying an A4 notice on pale blue paper at the premises for 20 working days starting from the day after the application was made
• Publishing a notice in a local newspaper (Leicester Mercury) on a date not more than 10 working days from the day after the application was made

If no objections are received then the licence will be granted.

If there are objections – this may go to a committee and conditions may be applied or the application refused. 

Find my local authority/council?

 http://local.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedirect/Start.do?mode=1

Leicester South - Trussell Trust food Bank

The food bank has been established to provide short term, emergency food to individuals and families in crisis. 

The food parcels include cereal, milk, fruit juice, soup, pasta, meat, fish, vegetables and pudding, providing balanced and nutritional meals for a minimum of three days.  The quantity of food given is dependent upon the number of adults and children in the family. 

Any queries call 07912194783  or email info@leicestersouth.foodbank.org.uk

FOODBANK CENTRE OPENING TIMES & LOCATIONS

* If you are rough sleeping or living in hostel or supported accommodation you will not be eligible for this scheme, alternative arrangements have been made through Housing Options please call 257 2662.

You can buy a card for £5 from the reception desk at Brocks Hill. We can only accept Cash.

Both residents and non-residents of the Borough can purchase a Pride of the Borough Card.

As well as from the Brocks Hill reception desk, cards can also be purchased from 

Lords Electricals, blaby Road, South Wigston

Zephs cafe, the methodict Church, Oadby 

Epic accessories, Oadby 

 

 

FYI all potb contact details etc are on the  website www.potb.org.uk if that is easier for you to inform customers.

 

Businesses and community groups can now advertise their products, services and events on brand new digital display screens that have been installed in Oadby and Wigston town centres.

The new display screens were installed as part of the regeneration projects which were completed earlier in the year.

The screen in Oadby is located in the Oadby Centre along The Parade and the Wigston screen is located on the corner of Bell Street and Leicester Road.

The digital display screens are now available to advertise on commercially as well as for community groups. Commercial advertisers can display an ad for as little as £15+VAT per week, making it affordable for any business.

Community groups can advertise for free if they are advertising events or free services. 

So far there has been a lot of interest from commercial and community groups, so if you are interested in advertising please contact the following: communications@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

Customer Service Centres

Switchboard

Call us on Leicester (0116) 288 8961

Closed on Bank Holidays

Out of hours emergency telephone number: please telephone Leicester (0116) 288 8961 and the recorded message will give you the emergency contact number. You can also visit our out of hours emergencies web page.

Alternatively, you can also contact Customer Services by customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Policy - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Private hire operator licence - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Private hire operator licence

To hold an operators licence you need to have sat an operators competency test. Using the same booking system to that of a new driver https://myaccount.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/service/Book_a_Competency_Test

The pass rate is 80% in each category (not an overall score of 80%)

Operators test, is based on Law, safeguarding, OWBC policy, disability and highway code.

Anyone who accepts or invites bookings for Private Hire Vehicles must obtain a Private Hire Operators licence from the Council and only vehicles and drivers that are licensed by that same Council can be used.

The Council will not grant a Private Hire operator’s licence unless it is satisfied that the applicant is a “fit and proper” person, that the licence conditions will be adhered to and that the address where the operation is based is suitable for such an activity.

Any applicant, joint applicant, business partner, associate, or director (if the applicant is a company) who is not also a licensed driver will be required to apply for a DBS check through the Council.

We will also require any of the above who intend to actively participate in the operational side of the business to take a specific Competency Test designed for Operators. The cost of the test will need to be paid for by the applicant(s) and they have will have 3 chances to pass this test within 3 months.

The applicant must complete the application form supplied by the Council. Any person who is not also a driver currently licensed by the Council is required to complete a DBS application form.

Applications should be made at least six weeks before the licence is required (including renewals) otherwise it may not be granted by any preferred date of issue or renewal date. It is the responsibility of the applicant or the existing licence holder to ensure that applications are made in good time.

If a renewal application is not made six weeks in advance a renewed licence may not be granted by the time the old licence expires. If this happens the operator will not legally be able to operate in the interim period.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licences - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Licences

The difference between Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles is not commonly known to members of the public.

A Hackney Carriage may ‘ply for hire’ from an appointed “taxi” or Hackney Carriage stand or rank within the district in which it is licensed. It may also be hailed and booked from a public street in that district.

A Private Hire Vehicle may only undertake journeys booked in advance.

Hackney Carriages or Private Hire Vehicles licensed by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council must display internal and external licence plates at all times in a position approved by the Council. Hackney Carriages display a blue plate and Private Hire vehicles display an orange plate.

The Council’s policy on vehicles exists for the reasons of Public Safety to ensure that the standard of vehicle remain suitable for the safe transport of members of the public.

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicles are exempt from requiring an MOT and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council has the responsibility to ensure that the vehicles it licences are in condition to be used on public roads and requires them to be tested at a Council approved vehicle testing station to a standard higher than an MOT.

Licensed vehicles are also required to carry:

• Fire Extinguisher/fire stick
• First Aid Kit
• Spare Wheel or Puncture repair kit.
• Top box/roof sign

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver licences - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver licences

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council issue combined Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Licences allowing licensed drivers to drive either a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire Vehicle. Licences last for three years after which time the licence holder must renew or cease to act as a licensed driver.

The Council will not grant a licence unless they are satisfied that an applicant is a fit and proper person. The application process is designed to enable the Council to make that decision and these procedures are explained in the Councils Policy.

Applicants are required to pass an advanced driving standards agency test before applying and provide a medical certificate signed by a GP confirming the applicants fitness to drive.

Additionally the applicant will have his criminal record checked, his driving licence record checked and must have passed a Council competency test (competency test once passed lasts for life if the licence is applied for within 12 months of passing the competency test. If more than 12 months passes before applying for a licence, the competency test must be taken again.

Taxis - Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Policy - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

This page contains details of the procedures relating to registering to speak at a Development Control Committee meeting, how many persons can address the committee and guidance on what you should say to the committee, and what happens at the meeting itself.

Background

When an application has been identified to be considered at a particular committee meeting the Development Control Committee Section will inform the applicant (or their agent) and any person who has made representations on the application that it is due to be considered by the committee and to give those persons the opportunity to make a verbal presentation at the committee meeting. This procedure only relates to applications determined by the Council.

When are the committee meetings held?

The Development Control Committee meetings are usually held every four weeks and normally begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at the main Council Offices in Station Road, Wigston. It is advisable that speakers at the committee should arrive a little earlier and inform the Clerk of the Committee that they have arrived.

The committee agendas are published at least five working days before the committee meeting and are available to view at the main council offices. The agenda is also available to view on our web site (Development Control Committee Agenda)

How do I register my interest to speak at the committee meeting?

Any person wishing to speak at the committee should contact the Development Control Section by no later than 4:00 p.m. on the working day before the committee meeting. They should indicate whether they wish to speak as the applicant (or agent) or whether they are in support or against the proposal. Only persons who have made written representations will qualify and be allowed to speak at the committee meeting.

Speaking opportunities shall be allocated on a first come, first served basis. If a number of people want to speak for or against a proposal the onus is on them to appoint a speaker. However, the applicant (or agent) will always be given the opportunity to address the committee. If objectors or supporters cannot agree on a spokesperson the objector or supporter who registered first will be the one permitted to speak. The identified speakers may defer to another at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee.

Your contact name, number or address may be disclosed to other persons wishing to address the committee to assist in the appointment of a spokesperson should there be more persons who wish to address the committee than allowed under the public speaking protocol.

How many people can address the committee?

There will be a maximum of four public speakers (excluding ward councillors not on the committee or councillors with prejudicial interests) allowed to speak. These would consist of the applicant (or agent), one supporter, one objector and a further objector or supporter of the proposal (dependent on the level of representation and who registers to speak first). There will be a time limit of five minutes per person and each speaker can only speak once.

What should I say at the committee meeting?

Your comments must be completed in five minutes and be a statement of your objections or support. It is not an opportunity to ask questions. No letters or additional information can be distributed at the committee meeting and videos, overheads and electronic presentations are only allowed at the discretion of the Chair.

Comments should also be limited to relevant planning considerations. Examples of some relevant planning considerations are as follows (although this list is not exhaustive):-

1. layout and density of buildings,
2. overshadowing, overlooking and loss of privacy, noise disturbance or other loss of amenities,
3. appearance and character of the development,
4. traffic generation, highway safety, parking,
5. relevant planning policies.

You should avoid references to matters which are not material planning considerations. Examples of matters which are not relevant planning considerations are as follows (although this list is not exhaustive):-

1. boundary disputes, covenants or other property rights,
2. personal remarks (for example the applicant's motives),
3. reduction in property values,
4. loss of private view over the land,
5. matters dealt with under other laws (for example licensing).

At the Chair’s discretion, members of the committee may ask a visiting speaker to clarify a point of fact after their statement has been made before the application is debated. However, this is not intended to result in a dialogue between the committee members and the speaker.

Any issue deemed to be defamatory, derogatory or to relate to a specific officer or member will not be permitted and the speaker will be informed accordingly.

If the person chosen to speak would like help preparing their case, Planning Aid may be able to assist them. Planning Aid is a charity run by volunteers and not connected with Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. If you would like help you should contact:

Email: emcw@planningaid.rtpi.org.uk
Address: East Midlands Planning Aid Service, 15 Wheeler Gate, Nottingham, NG1 2NA
Telephone : 0870 850 9802

What happens at the committee meeting?

Generally, the Chair will introduce each item on the agenda and then proceed as follows:

1. Any councillors with prejudicial interest in the application to address the committee (if any).
2. The applicant or agent of the application may then address the committee.
3. Supporters or objectors of the application can address the committee with up to three members of the public allowed to address the committee which can consist of a maximum of two supporters or two objectors (for example all three places cannot be taken up by objectors).
4. Ward councillors who are not committee members may then address the committee (if any).
5. The Planning Officer or Development Control Manager will present the application and include any information detailed on the agenda update.
6. The Development Control Committee members to debate and determine the application, involving officers as and when necessary.

If an application is deferred until another meeting for further information or negotiations, before or after public speaking, then the process is repeated. The right to speak does not extend to site visits.

Application time periods:

When should the application be determined?

We aim to determine most planning (and associated) applications within the statutory periods set out by central government. This is generally within eight weeks of a valid application being made. The main exceptions to this are as follows :

• non-material amendment application - four weeks
• tree Works in a Conservation Area - six weeks
• major Development - thirteen weeks

Currently there are longer waits in planning as there is a backlog.

How to comment on an application

The planning system allows opportunities for both public and private interests to make representations on the proposals as a third party.

While we will take account of all representations received, it must be remembered that the planning process is in place to ensure that, in the development of land or buildings, the public interest is taken fully into account. Whenever we receive representations to a proposal we will consider them fully which may result in an amendment to the proposal.

You can submit comments to the case officer in a variety of formats. You may e-mail comments by using the planning@oadby-wigston.gov.uk address. Please ensure that you quote the application reference number, the address of the application site and your name and address.

Alternatively, you may post any comments you have to the main Council Offices or submit comments via the PublicAccess pages of the website.

Permit To Tip Household Waste - Leicestershire County Council

A waste permit is needed if the vehicle you’re using to take your household waste to the tip is a:

• Commercial vehicle
• Van
• Car with a trailer over 4 feet six inches long
Or
• you are getting rid of asbestos, chemicals or paint- regardless of the vehicle you use.

A new long term permit lasting 2 years will be issued. It will allow upto 12 visitis in this period. You have to nominate the recycling site you will use and this will be stated on the permit.

If you want to go to another site during the 2 year period (for example the site you normally use is closed on the day you wish to go to) you will need to contact customer services at County on 0116 305 0001 and temporary permit will be issued.

The council has a limited number of garages and parking spaces which may be rented when available. A waiting list is in operation and preference is given to Oadby & Wigston Borough Council tenants.

Garages are rarely available immediately so this scheme may not be appropriate if you are in urgent need of a garage.

Applicants with outstanding debts to the Council will not normally be considered for the garage or parking space waiting list unless an arrangement is in place and the exception is agreed by the Community Safety and Tenancy Manager.

Garage and parking space application customers will be placed on a waiting list for their area of choice. Garage and parking spaces are allocated in date order and priority is given to tenants and leaseholders. When an offer is made to a customer they will need to sign a Tenancy Agreement in order to accept it.

LOCATIONS

Alternatively the Council's Policy and the application form may be downloaded from these webpages.

https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/files/documents/garage_letting_procedure/Garage%20lettings%20procedure.pdf

https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/files/documents/garage_application_form/Garage%20application%20form.pdf

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council Places

Notification of a death in the borough 

To notify the authority of a death - please follow this link:

https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact-and-tell-us-once

Purchasing a plot

Grave and cremated remains plots are usually purchased at the time of a funeral, through the funeral director. Graves can also be purchased in advance at Wigston Cemetery. For more information contact Jenny Flude.

When a plot is purchased, the purchaser receives a Grant of Right of Burial (known as 'the deed'). The purchaser and no one else, even if related to the deceased, then has certain rights over the plot including:-

• Who is interred or whose cremated remains are scattered on the grave and
• What memorial is installed
• Whether to plant flowers and small shrubs within 18 inches of the memorial. (This only applies to burial plots and not cremated remains plots where gardens are not permitted).

The Grant of Right of Burial can be transferred to a member of the family and should be recorded with a solicitor. The right to plant flowers is not passed on.

Burials

All new burials take place in the cemeteries lawn sections. In these areas the planting of flowers and shrubs around the graves is not permitted, except for the first 500 millimetres (18 inches) in front of the memorial. Cut flowers and wreaths are allowed immediately in front of the memorial (except for cremated remains plots, where they must be contained within the memorial bed provided).

Donations

Trees and shrubs, seats and litter bins can be donated in memory of a loved one. Plaques may be put under trees and shrubs provided these are no larger than 150 millimetres by 100 millimetres, which is six inches by four inches. The top of the plaque must be no more than 300 millimetres, which is 12 inches above ground level. Plaques can also be attached to donated seats and litter bins.

Memorials

The holder of a deed can install a memorial to the deceased. Applications are usually made through a funeral director or stonemason. There is usually no fee payable but permission is required before installation.

Voluntary organisations

The following organisations may be able to help with bereavement support:-

Cruse bereavement care

This organisation provides information, advice, counselling and support. Telephone their helpline on 0844 477 9400.

Stillbirth and neonatal death society known as 'sands'

Members are all parents who have suffered the loss of a baby and can offer support through one-to-one or group meetings. Telephone their helpline on 020 7436 5881.

The offence of selling vehicles on the road is intended to target those people who run a business selling motor vehicles and use the road as a mock showroom. This behaviour is unfair to our local residents who are deprived of using the road themselves to park their vehicles and go about their daily lives.

If two or more cars are being exposed for sale within 500m of each other we can prosecute. The fine on conviction is up to £2,500. The council may deal with the matter by issuing a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice.

If you are planning to sell vehicles as a business from a residential property then you will need to get planning permission. Please see our planning pages to find out more.

We can deal with vehicles that are genuinely abandoned by their owners. When deciding if a vehicle is abandoned we take into account;

• Does it have number plates?
• Are any of the tyres flat or windows broken?
• Is there any mould, growth or large amount of rubbish inside?
• Has the vehicle been vandalised?
• How long has it been there for? Reports of abandoned vehicles cannot be taken until the vehicle has been in the same spot for 21 + days

We will make every effort to find the owner before we remove it from the street, so you may not see the car removed immediately after you report it to us. Removal can take up to 31 days although, if the vehicle is a danger to the public, we can remove it as soon as legislation allows.

Abandoned vehicles on private land are the responsibility of the landowner and not OWBC.

We do not have powers to deal with a vehicle that is in current use but has been parked illegally or on the highway causing an obstruction. This is a matter for the Police who can be contacted on Leicester (0116) 222 2222. 

To report an abandoned vehicle, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

Fireworks are often used to help celebrate public and private events, including a number of traditional occasions.

Although fireworks are intended as a source of excitement and enjoyment, they can also disturb and frighten animals and some people.

To help provide a balance in the use of fireworks, legal controls were introduced by The Fireworks Regulations 2004.

These controls make it an offence to possess fireworks in public if you are under 18 and to throw or set off fireworks in the street.

They also prohibit the use of fireworks between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. with exceptions for the following occasions:

• 5th November - until midnight
• New Year's Eve - until 1:00 a.m. on the following day
• Chinese New Year - until 1:00 a.m. on the following day
• Diwali - until 1:00 a.m. on the following day

These regulations are enforced by the police.

Follow these links for more information about firework safety and how to enjoy fireworks safely.

Always remember that special care should be taken with animals and pets whenever fireworks are expected to be used. For advice about protecting animals and pets from fireworks visit the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

We want to process your claim as quickly as we can. However, we cannot process your claim until we have all the information required, so the quicker your provide the information requested the quicker we can process your claim. 

Once we receive all the information needed, we aim to process your claim within 14 working days.

If you have had a visit or paperwork from an Enforcement Agent regarding unpaid Council Tax or Business Rates you will need to contact them directly with any enquiries you have.

Bristow and Sutor 0871 677 0070

Rossendales 0844 701 3980

Alarms going off accidentally can be extremely annoying; often waking up an entire neighbourhood. 

If you have a car or intruder alarm, make sure it is properly fitted, regularly maintained and has a cut out.

Registering a key holder for your premises with the council can save you aggravation and expense if your alarm goes off accidentally when you are out or away.

The council can then contact a key holder in an emergency if people are away from home and an alarm is causing a nuisance to other residents.

If people are not registered, the Council may have to silence the alarm under a court warrant and recover costs from the homeowner - which could amount to around £250.

Contact our Customer Service Team to register a key holder for your premises.

Telephone 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

Benefit overpayments occur when a person is paid more benefit that they should have been paid or paid when they were not entitled.

Frequent causes of overpayments are:

• A change in income or capital of yourself or a member of your household
• A change in a state benefit
• You have changed address
• Your household has changed i.e. someone has moved in or out

If you are overpaid we will write to you and let you know:

• The date the overpayment covers
• The weekly amount of benefit you were paid
• The weekly amount of benefit you should have received
• The weekly amount overpaid
• The number of weeks you were overpaid for
• The total amount you were overpaid
• The reason for overpayment
• Whether the overpayment will be recovered from you
• How the overpayment will be recovered

How we will recover the overpayment

If you continue to receive Housing Benefit we can recover the overpayment from your new award. The recovery rate that we use will vary depending on your income and circumstances. If the rate of deduction causes you financial hardship you should contact the Benefit Team to negotiate a new rate on 0116 288 8961 Option 4 or email benefits@oadby-wigston.gov.uk. You will be asked to provide proof of your income and expenditure so we can consider your request.

Whilst deductions are made from your benefit you must pay the recovered amount, as well as any rent you already pay, to your landlord to ensure you do not go into arrears.

If you no longer receive Housing Benefit we will send you an invoice with instructions on how to pay it.

Adjustments to Council Tax

Any adjustments to the amount of Council Tax Support you are entitled to will be added back on to your Council Tax bill. A revised bill will be issued.

You have the right of appeal on decisions relating to overpayments.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council no longer provide a pest control service, however please see guidance relating to Cockroaches below;

Cockroaches breed prolifically and can survive for prolonged periods without food and water.  They are very good climbers and are nocturnal creatures. Apart from seeing them at night, further evidence of a substantial infestation may include droppings, cast-off skins and dead cockroaches - in dark corners, cupboards, pantries and under furniture and white goods.

Cockroaches share our food, water, shelter, and warmth. They will consume any human food or drink, pet food, dead animals and plant matter including animal and paper products. Cockroaches contaminate food and carry diseases such as salmonella and diptheria and causing symptoms of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

You can find details of approved pest control companies from pest associations such as the British Pest Control Association or the National Pest Technicians Association)

If you have any further queries please call our Customer Services team on 0116 288 8961

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council no longer provide a pest control service, however please see guidance relating to fleas below;

Fleas are bloodsucking, wingless insects that are norious for infesting our pets. Although they are often more interested in animals, the biting of humans is not uncommon.

Fleas multiply quickly and jump from one area to another; they are very small so you cannot always see them easily.

You can find details of approved pest control companies from pest associations such as the British Pest Control Association or the National Pest Technicians Association)

If you have any further queries please call our Customer Services team on 0116 288 8961

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council no longer provide a pest control service, however please see guidance relating to bed bugs below;

Bed bugs are small blood sucking insects that can live in cracks and crevices in and around your bed and other soft furnishings and also in cracks in walls and around door frames where they hide when they are not feeding.

Bed bugs do not transmit any human diseases but their bites do cause irritation.

Newly hatched bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed and have light tan, semi transparent colouring. Adult bed bugs are larger (about the size of an apple pip), have an oval flat body and are a rusty red colour.

You can find details of approved pest control companies from pest associations such as the British Pest Control Association or the National Pest Technicians Association)

If you have any further queries please call our Customer Services team on 0116 288 8961

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council no longer provide a pest control service, however please see guidance relating to squirrels below;

There are two species of squirrel in Great Britain.

The red squirrel which is confined largely to Scotland and the grey squirrel which is found all over the country.

The adult grey squirrel weighs approximately 275g, has a body height of approximately 25cm and a tail length of approximatley 20cm.

You can find details of approved pest control companies from pest associations such as the British Pest Control Association or the National Pest Technicians Association)

If you have any further queries please call our Customer Services team on 0116 288 8961

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council no longer provides a pest control service, if you are concerned in relation to Vermin on your property below are some common signs of vermin infestation;

• Rat Droppings - Droppings are dark brown in a tapered, spindle shape similar to a grain of rice.
• Rub Marks - Grease and dirt on their bodies leaves smudges on surfaces.
• Gnaw Marks - You might notice gnaw marks on fencing, waste/compost bins, decking or sheds as rats try to find food or shelter.
• Rat Holes - Brown rats are well known for digging extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage and nesting.
• Rat Nests - Rats will shred available materials such as loft insulation, cardboard and other soft items to make nests.
• Footprints - Rats leave foot and tail marks in dusty, less-used areas of buildings.

Vermin are naturally timid creatures so choose to nest in sheltered locations such as under sheds, under decking etc. They are also known to live in the sewage system so often a damaged or loose drain cover can often be a common source of access.

Should you find any evidence of vermin on the property and wish to proceed with a professional treatment below are the links to the websites for the British Pest Control Association and the National Pest Technicians Association;

British Pest Control Association - www.bpca.org.uk

National Pest Technicians Association - www.npta.org.uk 

If you are concerned about an infestation on a property or an area of land that does not belong to you please call our Customer Services team on 0116 288 8961 who will be able to refer the matter to our Environmental Health Department who can investigate the issue. Alternatively please email csc@oadby-wigston.gov.uk and provide details of the area of concern, what has been observed and any photos you have taken. Along with your name and contact details so the case officer can make contact with you.

Leicestershire County Coucil is responsible for our highways.

If you want to report issues relating to any of the following please contact Leicestershire County Council on (0116) 305 0001

• Bollards
• Carriageway faults
• Footway accidents and Footway Faults
• Damage to the Highway – Building work, Deliveries etc.
• Footway Crossings
• Winter Roads Maintenance: Snow Clearing, Street Gritting and Grit Bins
• Highway Accidents
• Highway Ironworks (Manhole Covers)
• Highway Obstructions
• Highway verges
• Blocked drains and gullies
• Skip/Scaffolding licences

Leicestershire County Council is responsible for administering payment and appeals for car parking in the county.

To find out more information please visit the Leicestershire County Council website or telephone 0116 3057953 or email parkingmatters@leics.gov.uk 

Noise nuisance is a serious issue which affects many people and can have a significant effect on their health and well being. However, noise is an unavoidable part of urban life and it is not reasonable to expect to live in silence, especially if you live in a flat, a terraced property, or a semi-detached property.

Damp and mould can sometimes be a problem in some of our council properties.

Damp can cause mould on walls and furniture and make timber window frames rot. Damp housing encourages the growth of mould and mites and can increase the risk of respiratory illness. Some damp is caused by condensation.

Responsibility for the pipes that take waste away from your home depends on whether they are classed as a drain or a sewer.

A drain is a single run of pipes used for drainage of one building.

Drains are the responsibility of the property owner. If you are a tenant your landlord will be liable for faults with your drains. If your drain is blocked as a result of your own actions then unblocking is your responsibility.

A sewer takes drainage from a number of drains and includes inspection chambers, pumps and ventilation shafts. 

In Oadby and Wigston, Severn Trent Water is responsible for the public and private sewers and they can be contacted on 0800 783 4444 and Leicestershire County Council are responsible for drains and they can be contacted on 0116 3050001

All businesses which handle food must be registered. This is no charge for this.

The purpose of registration is to provide information for the local council, which is responsible for enforcing food law in the food businesses in its area so that it can target inspections and education programs effectively. The obligation to register and notify changes to the council lies with the proprietor of the food business.

The requirement to register food premises includes market stalls, delivery vehicles and other moveable structures as well as food shops, manufacturers and processors. If you wish to operate a mobile food vehicle, you may need a street trading license before you can trade. You can find more about street trading on our website street trading.

The law says that if you run a food business, you must inform the local authority about any premises you are using for storing, selling, distributing or preparing food.

We cannot collect the following items as part of our Bulky/POPS/Electrical Waste Collection service

• Building and demolition waste which includes refurbishment from a property
• Hazardous Waste (Plasterboard, Paint Tins, Gas Canisters, Batteries, Asbestos)
• Any bathroom fittings
• Kitchen cupboards/worktops
• Fitted Wardrobes
• Front / Back external doors
• Windows/ Glass Panels / Mirrors
• Whole Garden Sheds
• Hardcore/Bricks (inc. slabs)
• Greenhouses
• Pianos
• Lawn Rollers
• Tiles
• Loft Insulation
• Cast Iron Boilers / baths
• Car Parts / Tyres & Car accessories inc. roof racks, roof boxes, etc.
• Fish Tanks
• Fire surrounds & mantles; we do not collect asbestos / concrete / masonry ones
• Fence posts with concrete attached to them
• American Style Large Fridges
• Electric operated sofas/armchairs
• Petrol Lawnmowers

Organisations such as banks and credit companies may ask you to provide proof that you are on the electoral register.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council can provide a certificate of residency - this is free of charge.

If you require proof for a credit reference agency, please note that they are regularly sent an updated electoral register and they should therefore be able to use this to verify your identity if you provide them with your unique electoral reference number which we can also provide for free.

To obtain proof that you are on the electoral register, contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk

Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers:

• The electoral register; and
• The open register

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as:
• detecting crime (i.e. fraud)
• calling people for jury service
• checking credit applications

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.

To opt out of the open register please email electoral.services@oadby-wigston.gov.uk or contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

The Member of Parliament for the Harborough constituency is:

Neil O'Brien OBE

He holds regular advice surgeries at various locations around the constituency.

www.neilobrien.org.uk

You can find out more about your MP at www.parliament.uk

Contact Details:

Harborough Conservative Association
24 Nelson Street
Market Harborough
Leicestershire
LE16 9AY

Email: office@harboroughconservatives.com

Tel: 01858 464146

Yoou can find out who your local councillor is using My Location on the home page of the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council website

You need to be on the electoral register to vote in elections and referendums.

The system for registering to vote is called Individual Electoral Registration.

Everyone in the household is responsible for registering themselves.

You can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Registering takes around 5 minutes and you will need your National Insurance Number (if you have one).

You can also register by calling our main council phone line 0116 288 8961.

Remember there are deadlines for registering to vote during election time.

Which elections can I vote in?

A) British, Irish, and qualifying Commonwealth citizens who are living in the UK
Can vote in All Elections

B) Citizens of the European Union who are living in the UK
can vote in Local elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections - NOT General Elections

C) Overseas electors
Can vote in UK Parlimentary  but not at local elections

 Election Types:

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/running-electoral-registration-england/eligibility-register-vote/what-are-nationality-requirements-register-vote/which-nationalities-can-vote-which-elections

Nationalities List:

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media/4905

If you want to report a problem on the roads or pavements contact Leicestershire County County Council on (0116) 305 0001 or visit the Leicestershire County Council website for more information

To find out more about education including school admissions and pupil services, visit the Leicestershire County Council website or telephone (0116) 305 6545

If you have an enquiry about street lighting or you want to report a defect, visit the Leicestershire County Council website or telephone (0116) 305 0001

Once reported to Leicestershire County Council they aim to inspect the fault within 5 working days.

A free mandatory bus concession pass  for older and disabled people in the local area between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

It is administered by Leicestershire County Council for all residents of the County. City Residents plus apply through Leicester City Council.

 Link below gives access to printable application forms

Concessionary Travel - Application Form and Notes for Older People and Disabled People

 Bus Pass Renewals

If the bus pass is about to expire, a new pass will be automatically posted out to the customer 2-3 weeks before the expiry date.

Lost or Stolen Passes

Call 0116 3050002

Leicestershire Councty Council administers the Disabled Persons' (Blue Badge) Scheme in Leicestershire on behalf of the Dapartment of Transport (DFT).

Here are details of how to apply;

Apply Online: This is the quickest way to apply and ensure the badge arrives without delay. Please visit http://bit.ly/apply-for-blue-badge or use the camera on your smart phone / tablet to scan the QR code at the top of this letter.

Apply by Telephone Appointment: For those who do not have online access, you can call us on 0116 305 0001 to book an appointment to complete an application over the phone. Please note, this route is likely to take longer for a Blue Badge to be issued than if it was done online as waiting times for appointments can be as far as 4 weeks in advance.

We encourage customers to try online before booking a telephone appointment.

When applying for your badge, you will need: 

• Proof of name and address
• Proof of applicable benefit if required
• Your national insurance number
• A passport style photo taken in last four weeks
• Payment card details, a blue badge costs £10

Blue Badge holders can park for an unlimited amount of time in OWBC car parks as long as their blue badge is displayed (no 3 hour restriction)

Mutual Exchanges allow social housing tenants (council tenants and housing association tenants) to exchange properties with each other.

If you are interested in mutual exchange you can visit the House Exchange website www.houseexchange.org.uk to see if there are any suitable swaps available. Our Council Tenants can register for free, we work in partnership with House Exchange and cover the registration cost for our own tenants. 

Housing association tenants will need to pay a small registration fee; check with your housing association to see if there are any schemes that you can register with for free or at a discounted rate.

 Important things to remember:

• Council tenants need to have a secure tenancy to apply
• Housing association tenants need to have an assured tenancy not assured short-hold.
• Tenants swap their tenancies, new tenancies are not created, both parties need to complete application forms
• Rent accounts need to be paid up to date
• Properties need to pass an inspection before the Mutual Exchange is approved
• Tenants need to thoroughly view their exchange property and be fully satisfied with it
• Legal criteria has to be taken into account

If you are interested in a mutual exchange both parties will need to complete a Mutual Exchange Form.

 What happens once I make an application?

Once an application form is received by our Housing Team, an investigation will be carried out to check whether approval can be given. A Housing Officer will visit you at home.  

It is important that you fully view your exchange property and are fully satisfied with the proposed exchange.

A decision to approve or refuse should be made within 42 days of receiving a completed application.

Once an exchange is approved an appointment for an assignment of tenancies will be made. All parties must attend to amend tenancies.

Why might a Mutual Exchange be refused?

There are seven legal reasons why a Mutual Exchange could be refused:

1. If a tenant has a court order outstanding.
2. If legal proceedings have started for possession of their property.
3. If the proposed tenant moving in would be under occupying the property.
4. If the proposed incoming tenants would be over occupying the property.
5. If the tenant lives in a property that is mainly for non-housing accommodation, or when a tenant(s) property is linked directly to their job working for the Council.
6. If the property is adapted for disabled use and the incoming tenant does not need this type of property.
7. If the property and / or tenancy is linked to the provision of support.

For further information, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

What is Local Housing Allowance?

Local Housing Allowance is paid to people in privately rented property who are on a low income and need help paying their rent.

Who can get Local Housing Allowance?

Local Housing Allowance only applies to claimants in private rented property.

 How much Local Housing Allowance will I get?

The amount of Local Housing Allowance you will get depends on:

There is a limit on the total amount of benefit that working age can receive.

This is so that no family out of work can be better off on welfare benefits than working families.

For further information, please contact our Benefits Team on 0116 288 8961.

Written statement of reasons

You can ask for a statement of reasons about anything that was not explained in the Housing Benefit decision letter. Requests must be in writing and be made within one month of the date of the letter.

Asking the authority to reconsider a decision

You can ask us to reconsider a decision we have made, your request must be in writing and be made within one month of the notification date (if you ask for a statement of reasons first we will not count the time from when you asked for the statement of reasons to when we provided the statement). We will look again at the decision, this is called a reconsideration.

Appealing to an independent tribunal

If you ask for a reconsideration and our decision remains unchanged you have the right of appeal to an independent tribunal if you think the decision is still wrong. Your appeal must be in writing wtihin one month of the reconsideration notification date.

On receipt of an appeal we will make a final check on the decision and if it remains unchanged, we will prepare the appeal papers and submit them to Her Majestys Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS).

You can appeal without asking for a written staement of reasons or a reconsideration. But we will still carry out a reconsideraton before submitting appeal papers to HMCTS.

For further information, please contact our Benefits Team on 0116 288 8961/

Our Discretionary Council Tax Support (DCTS) scheme provides additional help and support to people experiencing hardship in paying their Council Tax. You do not have to be receiving Council Tax Support to apply for DCTS.

Discretionary Payments - Oadby and Wigston Borough Council

There are two ways you can get help to pay your rent if you are on a low income. these are:

• Housing Benefit - for people who rent a council property or rent from a housing association, rent a caravan or houseboat or have a tenancy which began before 1989
• Housing Benefit (Local Housing Allowance) - for people who are renting from a private landlord

Housing Benefit can pay for part or all of your rent. How much you get depends on the level of your income and capital together with your individual circumstances. It also depends on how much of your rent we can use which depends on how many bedrooms you need.

Number of bedrooms required

The number of people who live with you as members of your family determines how many bedrooms you need. This is your 'size criteria' and is used to work out whether or not you are subject to an under occupancy reduction.

Unless you are old enough to receive a state pension, the amount of Housing Benefit you will receive and you have a spare bedroom will be reduced.

If you have one spare bedroom, the reduction will be equal to 14% of your rent. 

If you have two or more spare bedrooms, the reduction will be equal to 25% of the rent for your property.

Housing Benefit will pay towards one bedroom each for each of the following:

• An adult couple (married or unmarried)
• Anyone aged 16 or over
• Two children under 16 of the same sex
• Two children under 10 regardless of sex
• Any other child
• A carer who needs to be able to stay overnight but who does not normally live with you

Are there any exemptions?

Children with disabilites

A severely disabled child who needs their own room isn't required to share. We will take into account the severity of the childs disability (including medical evidence and whether the child receives disability living allowance) and how regularly another child's sleep would be disturbed if they shared a room.

Armed forces

You won't be subject to an under occupancy reduction for a room that is usually occupied by your son or daughter who is a member of the armed forces and serving away from home, providing they intend to return to your home.

Fostering

For approved foster carers an under occupancy reduction will not be made for one additional bedroom for the foster child or children.

If you think one fo the exemptions applies to you, contact our Housing Benefit Team on 0116 288 8961 Option 4 for more information.

You may be able to claim Housing Benefit if you:

• Are on a low income
• Are working full or part time and earning a low wage
• Have savings under £16,000 (if you are in receipt of Pension Credit Guarantee this limit does not apply)
• Are receiving state benefits

How will Housing Benefit be paid?

If you are a council tenant, benefit will be credited to your rent account and this will reduce the amount you have to pay.

If you are a tenant of a housing association or private landlord benefit is paid into your bank (BACS) normally to you, two weekly in arrears but sometimes to your landlord who will be paid four weekly in arrears.

How to make a claim

If you want to claim Housing Benefit you will need to complete our online application form. For further help, please contact our Customer Service team on 0116 288 8961.

The Right to Buy Scheme gives most secure council tenants the right to buy their home at a discount. The longer you have been a council tenant, the larger the discount.

You can apply to buy your council home if:

• It is your only or main home
• It is self contained
• You are a secure tenant
• You have had a public sector landlord (i.e. a council, housing association or NHS trust) for 3 years - it does not have to be 3 years in a row

Joint applications

You can make a joint application with:

• Someone who shares your tenancy 
• Up to 3 family members who've lived with you for the past 12 months (even if they don't share your tenancy)

How to apply

You will have to complete a paper application form (RTB1). Ring our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 to get a form

What will happen after I have made my application?

Within four weeks of you submitting your application form, we will write to you to let you know whether or not your application has been successful

If your application has not been successful we will explain why.

If the Council agrees to sell, we will write to you and advise you of the following:

• The price we think you should pay for the property and how it was worked out
• Your discount and how it was worked out
• A description of the property and any land included in the price
• Estimates of any service charges (for a flat or maisonetter) for the first five years
• Any known problems with the structure of the property

Timescales

There are strict timescales regarding how much time you have to decide whether to continue with your application. If you do not respond in time you will need to reapply and if the value of your home has gone up in the meantime then the amount you have to pay may also have gone up.

Once you have received an offer letter you have three months to decide if you wish to continue. If you do not reply in this time you will be served a Prior Notice to Complete giving you 56 days to complete your purchase. 

If you do not respond to this a Final Notice to Complete will be served giving you a further 56 days. If you do not reply within this time then your appication will be cancelled, but you may choose to apply again.

Deciding to buy your home

It is important to remember that if you do buy your home there will be a number of expenses to consider both as part of the house-buying process and also ongoing costs associated with home ownership:

• Your mortgage, which may be more than your current rent if you are borrowing most of the money to buy your house. Mortgage payments can increase if interest rates rinw (and decrease if interest rates fall)
• Buildings and contents insurnace , life assurance and mortgage payment protection insurance
• Council Tax
• Utliities, i.e. water rates, gas and electricity
• Ongoing maintenance of the property

You should think about how you would make payments if you (or anyone you are buying with) lost some or all of their income. If you fail to keep up your mortgage payments, you may lose your home.

For further information on the Right To Buy scheme, please visit https://www.gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home/discounts or contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

Am I eligible to apply for housing in the Borough?

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council has just over 1200 properties that we rent to tenants. We work in partnership with other district and borough councils in Leicestershire, so you can apply to us if you live in Oadby or Wigston or outside the Borough as long as you have a local connection with the Borough.

Eligibility factors
Any person over the age of 18 can apply to join the Housing Register.

16 and 17 year olds can apply if they provide details of a trustee. The trustee must be a responsible person such as a parent or other close family member, or a representative from a support agency.

To be housed in Oadby and Wigston you need to meet one of the following criteria:
Lived in the Borough for more than 2 years
Lived in the Borough for a total of 3 or more years out of the past 5 years
Working in the Borough either on a permanent or temporary contract running for a minimum of 12 months

Live outside the Borough but have parents, brothers, sisters or adult children (those aged 18 years or older) who are living in the Borough now and have done so for at least the past 5 years and where a meaningful relationship exists where the applicant is either supporting a resdient or the resident is supporting the applicant. Those applicants not providing significant support to the qualifying relative or receiving significant support from the qualifying resident will be treated as non-qualifying.
If you have the financial means to meet your own housing needs you will be treated as non-qualifying.
This is determined by assessing whether the joint homeseekers income, joint savings or equity exceeds the thresholds outlined below:

Thresholds
Income limit  £45,000
Equity limit    £32,000
Savings limit  £17,000
The exception to this would be if you can demonstrate a need for supported, sheltered or extra-care housing which you cannot purchase on the open market.

If you have more than £300.00 rent arrears on any social landlord tenancy (past or present) you need to have entered into a payment arrangement for those arrears to be settled before we can consider making your application live. The payment plan needs to be in place and you need to have made at least 12 consecutive payments at the time of your application and at the time of any offer being made.

If you want to go on the Housing Register you will need to complete an application form

Updated 23/5/23

Our dog wardens do not actively search for missing dogs but if you do report a missing dog, the information we take may help them to identify the missing dog if they do locate it and get it back to you.

If you do report a missing dog we will need the following details:

• The dog's breed
• The colour 
• The size
• Whether or not the dog is wearing a collar?

You can also share your missing dog details on the www.doglost.co.uk website, this is a service that helps people spread the word about the missing dogs details free of charge on the website and can provide help and advice. You can even print off posters free of charge.

 To report a missing dog please contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

A Council Tax reduction may be claimed if someone living in a property:

a) Needs a room to meet the special needs arising from a disability

b) Needs a kitchen or bathroom which is not the only kitchen or bathroom; or

c) Needs to use a wheelchair inside the property to meet the special needs arising from a disability

This is equivalent to a reduction of one band, so if your property is in Band D and you qualify for a disabled person's reduction, you would be billed as if your property was in Band C.

For properties already in Band A that qualify for a disabled person's reduction, then the reduction granted is the equivalent of a one band reduction (1/9th of the Council Tax payable in Band D).

To apply for this discount, please complete our online application form or contact out Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

Some occupied properties are exempt from Council Tax.

They are listed below:

Some unoccupied properties are exempt from Council Tax.

They are listed below:

If you are the only adult resident in your household (aged 18 or over) you are entitled to a 25% reduction on your Council Tax.

Sometimes other adults who live with you are not counted when adding the number of residents. 

The categories of people who may be disregarded include:

• Full time students
• Student nurses
• Apprentices and youth training trainees
• 18 and 19 year olds in full time education on 30 April in the year they leave school will be disregarded until the November in the same year
• Severely mentally impaired persons
• Persons caring for someone with a disability who is not their spouse, partner or child under 18 
• Members of religious communities
• Diplomats

 To apply for this discount, please complete our online application form.

The Valuation Office Agency is responsible for determining the valuation band for each property. In England, properties are put into one of eight valuation bands based on their capital value on 1 April 1991, not what the property is worth today.

The range of values for each band are shown below:

 Can I appeal against my property’s valuation band?

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values domestic properties for council tax. This valuation is used to set your council tax band. You might need to contact the VOA if you think your council tax band is wrong.

You can find out more about when you can challenge your band and what you need to do at gov.uk/challenge-council-tax-band. If you challenge your band, you must continue to pay council tax at your current band until your appeal is decided.

You can contact the VOA at gov.uk/contact-voa. If you are unable to use the online service you can also contact the VOA on 03000 501 501 [English authorities] /03000 505 505 [Welsh authorities].

We are making changes to the channels we offer customers and as such would ask that where possible you do not include a postal address on your bills, website or in other materials.

Where there is a need to share a postal address, for example for accessibility reasons, we would ask that this is for our Durham address. We are centralising all our post to this office:

Valuation Office Agency, Durham Customer Service Centre, Wycliffe House, Green Lane, Durham, DH1 3UW

You can appeal to the Listing Officer regarding the Council Tax band of your property in the following circumstances:

• There has been a material increase in the value of the dwelling (band will only be changed after a relevant transaction i.e. sale of property)
• There has been a material reduction in the value of the property (band can be changed at any time)
• The Listing Officer has amended the band without a proposal being made by the Council Tax payer
• Within 6 months of a new owner purchasing the property provided that a similar appeal has not been determind in the past

Your Council Tax is due on the first of the month; with the exception of the first instalment which may be due on another date. If you choose to pay by direct debit you have a choice of payment dates, either the first or the fifteenth of the month.

To minimise the cost of non collection, which has to be passed on to all Council Tax payers, we always take prompt and early action to recover arrears. If payments are not received as shown on your Council Tax bill you will receive a reminder notice.

Reminder notice

If you miss a Council Tax instalment you will receive a reminder notice giving you 14 days to bring your account up to date.

If you have brought your account up to date after the first reminder notice, but you fall behind a second time, you will receive another reminder notice giving you 14 days to bring your account up to date.

The regulations only allow for two reminders each year. If you have brought your account up to date after the first and second reminders but then fall behind again you will receive a final notice.

Final notice

If a final notice is issued the whole amount of your Council Tax becomes due and you will have lost the right to pay by instalments. The final notice will give you seven days to pay the outstanding balance in full.

A final notice can also be issued if all outstanding instalments have become due, for example if you have not paid the final instalment on your bill, a final notice can be issued without any previous reminders having been issued.

The right to pay by instalments can be reinstated, and no summons issued, if you agree to set up a direct debit over the telephone also paying the outstanding instalment, as soon as you receive the final notice. If the whole balance due is not paid within seven days a summons will be issued.

Summons

If you do not pay the whole amount requested in the first reminder, second reminder or final notice, within the days allowed, the Council will apply to the Magistrates Court for a summons to be issued notifying you of a liability order hearing. 

The summons will tell you when the court will consider the application, and the amount we are seeking to recover, together with the additional summons and court costs involved (£54 plus £3 for each liable person). As this action is taken in the Magistrates Court it will not affect your credit rating. If the balance outstanding on the summons including the summons costs is paid in full before the hearing we will not obtain a liability order. 

The liability order hearing

You have the right to attend the court hearing and offer evidence why the liability order should not be granted. However if you accept liability you do not need to attend the court hearing. there is a charge of £12.00 added to the cost when liability orders are issued.

If the court is satisfied that the Council has followed the correct procedures then they will grant a liability order and costs.

If you have any queries about the summons, or wish to attend the liability order hearing, please let the Council Tax team know in advance so that they can resolve any issues or ensure that any relevant paperwork is taken to the court hearing so that all the facts can be put before the Magistrates.

Actions after a liability order is granted

The Council will normally issue a request for information and an offer of payment form after the liability order is granted. You must complete and return this form or telephone the Council to provide this information within 14 days. This information may enable the Council to agree a suitable payment arrangement.

If the information is not provided or a suitable payment arrangement cannot be agreed, the liability order gives the Council the following remedies to collect the debt:

• Attachment of earnings
• Attachment of benefit
• Use Enforcement Agents
• Statutory demand for bankruptcy
• Charging order
• Application for committal to prison

There are a number of ways you can pay your Council Tax

Direct Debit

This is the only method of payment that gives you a choice of payment dates - the 1st or 15th of the month. To apply to pay by Direct Debit you need to complete a Direct Debit Mandate or telephone 0116 288 8961 option 3 and we can take the information over the phone.

Debit/Credit Card

Payments may be made using our automated payment line 0116 257 2850. This line can be used 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Payments can also be taken over the phone on 0116 288 8961 Option 1 during office opening hours.

We do not accept American Express.

You can pay your council tax using our online payment facility. Payments can be made using your debit or credit card.

Make a secure payment

.

By cheque

Please make cheques payable to 'Oadby and Wigston Borough Council'. If you post the cheque please quote your Council Tax account reference number and address so that we can correctly allocate the payment.

Internet or telephone banking

To make a payment using this method please quote your Council Tax account reference number and use our bank details:

National Westminster Bank

Sort Code 54-21-50

Account Number 13754432

Please note that payments made via the Internet, Bill Pay or Electronic Banking may take 3 to 5 days to reach us.

Council Tax is a locally set tax that is payable on all domestic properties.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council is responsible for collecting the tax but we do not keep it all. It is split between OWBC and other authorities which provide public services as detailed below:

Although garden bonfires may be lit at any time, they can cause a nuisance to neighbours so should be avoided wherever possible. The reasons for this are:

• the smoke, smuts and smell from bonfires may prevent your neighbours from enjoying their gardens, openig windows and hanging washing out
• bonfire smoke is a polluter of air and may cause particuar problems for people with cetain medical conditions such as asthma and bronchitis
• fire can spread to fences or buildings and smoke drifting across a road may cause a traffic hazard

The law relating to bonfires

Bonfire smoke is covered by the statutory nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

There are no laws or by-laws in Oadby and Wigston to restrict bonfires to certain times of day or certain times of year. However if a bonfire is being lit for prolonged periods or over multiple days and you feel the residents actions are unreasonable and causing substantial interference please call our customer services team on 0116 288 8961 to report the issue and our Environmental Health team will investigate.

Bonfire guidelines

If you feel it is essential to have a bonfire, please show consideration to your neighbours and always take the following precautions:

• Keep the frequency of bonfires to a minimum.
• Avoid lighting a fire in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke tends to hang in the air on damp, still days and in the evening. If it is windy, smoke may be blown into neighbours' gardens and across roads.
• Only burn dry material as this produces far less smoke than burning damp material.
• Never burn household rubbish, rubber tyres or anything containing plastic, foam or paint.
• Never use old engine oil, methylated spirits or petrol to light the fire or encourage it to burn.
• Ensure that bonfires are sited with care and properly supervised to minimise the chance of causing annoyance to neighbours and to prevent the fire spreading.

Commercial bonfires

Legislation relating to commercial bonfires is far more stringent than that which covers domestic bonfires.

If a commercial bonfire is creating excessive smoke, fumes and/or noxious gases our Environmental Health Team can investigate this. To report this, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961.

A smoke control area is an area of land declared under an order to be smoke free. This means that only authorised fuels can be burned on fireplaces within the smoke control area.

The legislation only applies to the smoke coming from chimneys from the burning of fuels on domestic heating appliances i.e. wood burners, open fires, boilers etc.

It does not cover bonfires, barbeques or chimineas. These are permitted but must not cause a statutory nuisance .

There is one declared Smoke Control Area in the Borough. It is located in Oadby and covers the streets and house numbers listed below:

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council is responsible for the general management of two cemeteries:

Oadby cemetery, Wigston Road, Oadby LE2 5QB

Wigston cemetery, Welford Road, Wigston LE18 3TE

Opening hours

Both cemeteries are open during daylight hours and are available for funerals throughout the week:

Monday to Thursday 

From 9.30am to 3.45pm (last funeral 3.15pm)

Friday

From 9.30am to 2.30pm (last funeral 2.00pm)

Green wheeled bins provided by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council for garden waste come in two sizes; The LARGE 240 litre bin, and the SMALLER 140 litre bin.

Dimensions of the wheelie bins

240L: H:107cm W:58cm D:73cm

140L: H:105cm W:48cm D:55cm

Both bins are a similar height, with the smaller bin as a more compact and streamlined variation of the large bin.

Our waste collection service is provided to every domestic household within the Borough.

We run the following collections:

Collection guidelines:

• Refuse bins need to be presented at the front edge of the property by 6:30am on collection day.
• All household waste must be contained within the bin.
• The bin lid needs to be fully closed

 

You can use the My Location search on our website homepage to find out your collection day.

 

 

Our Cleansing Team will remove graffiti in the Borough. 

Reports of graffiti on public land/buildings will be referred to our Cleansing Team.

We give priority to removing graffiti that is racist, political or obscene and we will aim to remove this by the next working day.

We aim to remove other graffiti within 5 working days.

Graffiti on private land is the responsibility of the property owner. We do however offer a cleansing service at competitive rates.

If you are a private land owner and you want us to remove graffiti on your land you will need to contact the Police to report the crime before the council can arrange to remove the graffiti.

To report Graffiti, contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

Brocks Hill Country Park has 67 acres of country park, a café, toilets, one enclosed children's play area and one large natural play area.

The County Park and play areas are open to access at all times.

Car parking charges apply

We have a number of public notice boards in the Borough.

The notice boards allow charities or community groups to display local information, like advertise a church fete for example. The Council may also display informational notices on the boards.

Any notices must concern events in the Borough or be relevant to residents of the Borough and:

• Can only be for charity/local events.
• No business advertising is permitted.
• Must not promote anything of a political nature or controversial subjects.

As long as posters adhere to these conditions, you can display them on any of the notice board locations listed below.

Please Note: You are responsible for the display and removal of your own posters. Regular checks of the notice boards are carried out, and any out of date or inappropriate material will be taken down.

These are the boards that fall under the responsibilty of OWBC. 

Each notice board is mapped using a link (what 3 Words)

 

 

 

If you have been issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), and wish to make a payment or appeal the parking fine, you must call 0116 3057953 or email parkingmatters@leics.gov.uk.

If youwish to pay with cash, please vist the LCC offices - this is the only place where you can pay for fine in cash.

If you want to challenge the PCN, you need to do so following the instructions on the back of the PCN or by writing to:- 

Leicestershire County Council

LCC Notice Processing Centre

PO Box 9983

Leicester

LE3 7DD

 

Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of waste. It can vary in scale from a single bag of rubbish to a lorry load or more. It poses a threat to humans and wildlife and also damages the environment.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council can remove illegally dumped waste, but this can be dependent on where the waste has been discarded. Any instances will be investigated by our Environmental Health team and if they can identify who has dumped the waste, they will take any necessary enforcement action.

Public Land/Highways: OWBC may be able to clear this free of charge.

Private Land: It is the land owner's responsibility to clear. However, if the waste is causing a health hazard, it can be treated as an accumulation of rubbish and be referred to our Environmental Health Team for further investigation.

Alleyways: Any queries relating to waste dumped in an alleyway will be dealt with by our Cleansing Team as OWBC own some alleyways but not all. Each query will be looked into, assessed, and where necessary, the appropriate action taken.

To report fly tipping, contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

The Oadby and Wigston Borough Council Cleansing Team will clear up dog fouling on the public highway. 

We aim to clear up dog fouling on public highways within 48 hours.

To report dog fouling contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or visit our website and report using the link https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/dog_fouling_in_the_borough 

Please Note:  If the dog fouling is on private land, it is the owner's responsibility to clear.

Should dog fouling regularly occur in a certain area, Animal Care Services may consider stencilling the ground to remind people to clear up after their dogs and should the problem persist we may be able to arrange patrols of the area with their dog warden service.

To report persistant dog fouling contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk.

Cleansing will collect and dispose of dead animals that are found on pavements or public highways. If the dead animal is inside a customer’s property, they need to make arrangements to place the animal outside onto the pavement prior to collection. If possible, the best thing is for the animal to be placed into a plastic bag. Cleansing will collect the animal within 24 Hours (excluding weekends where this will be the following working day).

If the customer does want us to collect from inside the property, or in their garden/driveway we will make a charge for this, £73 + VAT. (Please also contact corporates assets )

If a customer calls to request a dead animal collection, we need to record this on CRM and pass through to cleansing.

Once collected by cleansing, if the animal is chipped, they will be scanned for microchip verification and owners are notified where possible. We sometime get calls from owners that have lost their pet to see if we have found them, we can take some identifying details and pass to cleansing team in case they have picked up their dead pet. We need to sensitively advise the customer that we only collect dead animals.

To report a dead animal contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

OWBC has 12 parks and sports grounds throughout the Borough.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council Places

Residents on certain benefits can apply for exemption, This will then entitle to 2 collections during the financial year with up to a maximum of 4 items on each collection.

Customers need to live in the borough and be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit (Housing Element Only) • Housing Benefit  • Council Tax Support  • Disability Living Allowance • Personal Independence Payment • Incapacity Benefit • ESA • Constant Attendance Allowance • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit • Attendance Allowance  • Disabled Students Allowance
  • Severe Disablement Allowance • War Disablement Pension
  • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

To arrange a bulky waste collection contact our Customer Service Team on 0116 288 8961 or email customerservices@oadby-wigston.gov.uk 

Bulky waste is collected on a Friday, Pops on a Thursday and Electrical Items on a Wednesday. We will book you in the next available date when making the booking.

Doors that form part of an item of furniture
Lawnmowers
Vacuum cleaners
Domestic furniture (including any wooden fitted furniture)
Televisions
Garden furniture
Domestic carpets
Beds
Refrigerators, freezers or coolers (non commercial)
Washing machines, tumble dryers or dishwashers, microwaves
Three piece suites
Bags of smaller household items such as clothes, crockery, pots and pans
Cookers
Please note:
Bags need to be strong enough to ensure they do not split when being taken to the vehicle. Items will not be collected if they contain glass.
Loose wood needs to be tied together in a manageable bundle.
House improvement or building work related items such as building waste or replaced windows will not be collected.
Broken glass must be supplied in a box.
Bagged, boxed and tied waste will be classed as individual items.
Sheds must be dismantled and each panel will be classed as an item
There is a charge for this service which must be paid in advance over the telephone (0116 288 8961)with a credit or debit card.
Item

Charge after 1st April 2025

Up to 3 items £41.00 

Additional bulky item £5.00

Additional electrical item £5.00
If you are in receipt of certain benefits you can have up to two collections of up to 4 items free in a year; see our Frequently Asked Question Free of charge bulky waste collection service

Some charities may collect bulky items free of charge - this is not guaranteed.
To find out more, you can contact -

Your local Air Ambulance - 07379043178 or retail@wndlrairambulance.org.uk

Open Hands Wigston - 0116 2558672 or admin@openhandsleicester.org.uk

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Modified on: 03/04/2023
Tags: missed collection Waste Enquiry bulky collection special open hands free collection
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Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. The end product is a dark soil like material that will enrich garden soil.

There are lots of benefits to composting:

• Reduces waste going to landfill
• Reduces our impact on climate change
• Reduces the need for chemical fertilisers
• Reduces the demand for peat
• Enhances soil fertility without relying on the use of expensive fertilisers
• Provides essential nutrients to improve soil and plant health

Although Oadby and Wigston Borough Council do not provide our residents with compost bins, you can compost at home. Compost bins are available at most garden centres in the Borough.

The council has teamed up with Evengreener to offer residents a fantastic range of low cost compost bins and accessories.

Please go to the Get Composting Website at: www.getcomposting.com or call Evengreener on 0844 571 4444 for more information.

Oadby and Wigston Borough Council offers an Assisted Collection service for people who are unable to present their waste or recycling bags at the edge of their property for collection.

In these cases, the collection of household waste and recyclables can be made from an agreed point, for example from the side gate.

Assisted collections can only be arranged if a person is elderly and/or has a disability and providing that there are no able bodied people living in the property.
 
You can apply for an assisted collection by contacting our Customer Service Team or completing an online application.

The Waste Management Team will consider the application and contact you to make an assessment.

If your application is approved, a collection point and start date will be agreed.