A reminder to all our member councils that the period of 30 working days granted for the exercise of public rights must include the first 10 working days of July. To meet statutory requirements all local councils must:

1. Fully and accurately complete the notice...

A reminder that the submission deadline of 1st July is approaching. By this date councils should have submitted to PKF Littlejohn either:

1. A completed & approved AGAR and all applicable supporting documents; or
2. An Exemption Certificate .

Wherever possible,...

Our 2019 Agenda is fast approaching and we are looking forward to welcoming you all at County Hall on 15th June ready for a 10.30am start.

There will be a range of stalls from national and local specialist companies who provide services and equipment to parish...

NALC has now updated legal briefing L09-18 on the Public Sector Bodies (Websites And Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018. This briefing now links to the government's model accessibility statement which can be found here.

Legal briefing...

NALC is delighted to invite entries to the Star Council Awards, which they are running for the fifth successive year in 2019.

"The awards are a fantastic opportunity for local (parish and town) councils, councillors, clerks and county associations to showcase...

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is calling on local (parish and town) councils to submit their nominations for the People's Award to mark today's official launch of Transport Planning Day 2019.

The Transport Planning Society (TPS) People's...

Time is running out to book your place at our first AGM on Saturday 15th June 2019 at the Leicestershire County Council offices. Registration is from 10am for a 10.30am start, and key features of the event include:

• Charlotte Eisenhart, Head of member Services...

Police have arrested a second man on suspicion of murder following the death of Leah Fray.

The man, who is 18, was arrested at an address in Leicester this afternoon (Thursday).

He remains in custody and enquiries into Leah’s death are ongoing.

A 56-year-old man who was arrested on Monday evening (22 April) on suspicion of Leah’s murder has been released with no further action.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Keen, said: “Our officers have this afternoon arrested a second man on suspicion of murdering Leah.

“We would still like to speak to anyone who knew her, anything about her or who saw anyone going into the block of flats at the junction of Mere Road and Diseworth Street.

“Likewise, if you were driving in the area and have a dash cam installed in your vehicle, please let us know.

“We owe it to Leah and her family to find whoever is responsible for killing her. It’s been four days since she was found dead. I would encourage anyone with information to make contact with us.”

Information can be given to police by answering questions on an online public portal - https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM19I69-PO1 - or by calling 101, quoting incident 131 of 21 April.

Operation Lionheart results

Total warrants = 110

Total arrests = 72

Total people charged = 60

Update: Thursday 25 April

Charges

David Watson, 52, of Cabin Leas, Loughborough, arrested yesterday (24 April) has been charged with three counts of supplying class A drugs on 31 October, 1 and 2 November 2018.

Arrests today

A 17-year-old boy, from Nottingham, has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Two Loughborough men, aged 40, 53, have been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

A 20-year-old woman, from Loughborough, has been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

Two men, aged 19 and 36, have been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

Information about Leah Fray can now be passed to police online – as detectives investigating her death continue to appeal for public help.

Leah, 27, was found dead inside her flat in Mere Road, Leicester shortly after 7am on Easter Sunday (21 April).

The portal – which can be accessed by visiting https://mipp.police.uk/operation/33EM19I69-PO1 - allows information to be passed securely by answering a number of questions about Leah and the area in which she lived.

Police were called to her flat by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service following a report of a fire. An outer cordon in Mere Road has now been lifted.

A 56-year-old man who was arrested in connection with her death on Monday evening (22 April) remains in custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Keen, who is leading the investigation, said: “I would still like to speak to anyone who knew Leah, or has information about people who may have visited her flat.

“We’ve now launched an online portal so that anyone with such details can tell us what they know by answering a series of questions.

“I’d like to know what you know about Leah, when you last saw her and whether you saw anyone visiting her flat on or before Sunday morning.

“If you know something but have not yet contacted police, it’s not too late to do so. We would still like to hear from you.”

Information can also be passed to police by calling 101, quoting incident 131 of 21 April.

Operation Lionheart results

Total warrants = 101

Total arrests = 66

Total people charged = 59

Operation Lionheart – update – Wednesday 24 April

Charges

Stuart McDermott, 37, of no fixed address, has been charged with ten counts of supplying class A drugs and two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Daryl Eley, 29, of Derby Road, Loughborough, has been charged with three counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, two counts of offering to supply class A drugs and three counts of supplying class A drugs.

Jazmine Hughes, 21, of Regent Street, Leicester, has been charged with three counts of supplying class A drugs and one count of possession of a class B drug.

Abhijit Suklabaidya, 25, of Gladstone Avenue, Loughborough, has been charged with two counts of supplying class A drugs and two counts of possession of class A drugs.

Bruce Bateson, 57, of Kinghtthorpe Road, Loughborough, has been charged with one count of supplying a class A drug.

All of the below were arrested today (Wednesday 24 April) and have been charged.

Victoria Martin, 40, of Braddon Road, Loughborough, has been charged with four counts of supplying class A drugs.

A 16-year-old boy from Loughborough, who can’t be named for legal reasons has been charged with two counts of supplying class A drugs and two counts of possessing class A drugs.

Jack Godkin, 23, of Toothill Road, Loughborough, has been charged with one count of supplying a class A drug.

Arrests

A 52-year-old man from Loughborough has been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs and remains in police custody.

Police are appealing for witnesses after an attempted break-in at a shop in Glenfield.

Officers were called at around 1.15am today (Wednesday 24 April) by a member of the public reporting seeing a silver 4x4 being driven into the front of the premises in Tournament Road.

A dark coloured Mercedes saloon was also reported as being at the scene and it is believed a number of suspects wearing dark clothing were involved.

Although significant damage was made to the brickwork and a roller shutter, it is not believed that access was gained to the shop.

Both vehicles were seen to leave the area shortly afterwards heading in the direction of Tatlow Road.

PC Beth Warner, the investigating officer, said: “We would like to speak to anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident and saw either of the two vehicles or the incident itself.

“If anyone was driving nearby and has a dash cam in their vehicle that captured events, we’d like to hear from you.

“Any information you have could help us with our enquiries.”

Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting crime reference 19*206450.

Four men have today (Wednesday 24 April) admitted robbing a Hinckley jewellers at gunpoint.

The group appeared at Leicester Crown Court, where they all pleaded guilty to one count of robbery, committed at a business in Market Place on 25 January. They are:

• Aiden Rudock, 18, of Gloster Road, Lutterworth
• Grant Samuel, 22, of no fixed address
• Orrin Stevenson, 24, of Trent Road, Hinckley
• Timothy Wardrop, 22, of no fixed address

Stevenson also pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm.

Shortly before 11am, the men went into the jewellers dressed in dark clothing, wearing balaclavas and armed with two machetes and what was believed to be a double-barrelled shotgun. They threatened two members of staff before making off with jewellery worth between £70,000 and £80,000.

The double-barrelled shotgun has not been recovered.

They left the scene in a BMW X5, of which witnesses had noted the registration number. A short time later, it was reported that a car matching the description given had crashed close to Coton Lane in Market Bosworth and that four men had made off on foot. Armed officers were deployed and Rudock and Samuel were arrested nearby. A short time later, Stevenson and Wardrop were arrested at an address in Pipistrelle Drive, Market Bosworth.

Detective Constable Jack Thomas, the investigating officer, said: “This was a planned and coordinated robbery in which the four men thought they could try and make a quick financial gain and make off without being caught.

“But, thanks to staff and members of the public who were nearby – as well as our armed officers – the men were arrested within an hour of committing their crime.

“They have at least now admitted what they’ve done rather than choose to go to trial and are likely to receive significant custodial sentences.”

They will be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on 21 May.

Police are today (Tuesday, 23 April) appealing for people who have returned to the UK from Sri Lanka to share with them any footage or images they have captured of the terrorist attacks on 21 April in Sri Lanka.

Footage and pictures can be uploaded at the secure website www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk.

Acting Commander Alexis Boon, of the Met Police Counter Terrorism Command, said: “We are specifically looking for images and footage taken at the scenes of the incidents in Sri Lanka, immediately prior to, during, or after the attacks on 21 April.

“The material will be looked at by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, to assess it for use in any subsequent coronial process. I would urge anyone with material that could help us, to upload it via the website which is now live.

"If anyone witnessed, or was injured during the attacks, or has other information that could assist, they should call police in confidence on 0800 789 321.”

Officers have already been deployed to ports across the UK, where they are speaking to anyone returning from Sri Lanka to establish if they have information that may help.

Acting Commander Boon continued: “My thoughts are with the hundreds of people killed and injured in the attacks, and their families. This is a deeply saddening time and we are working with the Foreign Office to support the families of British nationals involved.”

A small team of specialist officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, including family liaison officers, have been deployed to Sri Lanka to support the families of deceased British nationals and will assist with the repatriation of their loved ones back to the UK, and with any subsequent coronial inquests.

Support online and via phone is available to anyone who was impacted by the attacks, including witnesses and families of victims. For more information on advice and support available please see www.gov.uk/government/publications/helplines-and-support-victims-of-terrorist-attacks/helplines-and-support-victims-of-terrorist-attacks.

Leicestershire Police has appointed Julia Debenham as its new Assistant Chief Constable in charge of crime and operations.

Julia, currently a Chief Superintendent with the force, was appointed yesterday (Tuesday 23 April) following a nationally-advertised selection process.

Speaking after her appointment, she said: “I am really honoured and excited to have been appointed into this role in a force that I joined 26 years ago.

“I feel immensely proud to be part of such a great team serving our wonderful and diverse communities. I am very much looking forward to continuing in my new role in the years to come… “

Chief Constable Simon Cole said: “Julia is well-known to the Force and partners as she has served in Leicestershire and across the East Midlands for the whole of her career in policing.

“She brings relevant experience, excellent knowledge of local communities and a real commitment to the force.”

Julia joined the force in 1993 and during her service has held a variety of different roles throughout the ranks in both uniform and non-uniformed roles. Most recently she was a Temporary ACC for both Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Police with responsibility for the collaborative criminal justice service as well as the East Midlands Specialist Operations Service. Last year she played a key role supporting the investigation into the Hinckley Road explosion which killed five people.

Julia is married with two young children.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed a collision in Loughborough this afternoon (Tuesday 23 April) to come forward.

It involved a small white van and a pedestrian in Rutland Street at around 12.50pm. The van left the scene following the collision.

The pedestrian, a man in his 40s, was taken to hospital, where he remains with serious injuries. Rutland Street was closed at its junction with Moor Lane, but the road has since reopened.

Detective Inspector Pete Flynn said: “I’d like to speak to anyone who saw the collision or who saw the white van prior to it happening. We think the vehicle involved was smaller than a Transit-sized van.

“If you were driving in or around Rutland Street at the time of this incident and have a dash cam installed in your vehicle, then please get in touch. Any information you have could help with the investigation.”

Call 101, quoting incident 338 of 23 April.

Operation Lionheart results

Total warrants = 99

Total arrests = 62

Total people charged = 51

Operation Lionheart – update – Tuesday 23 April

Charges

Alistair Morton, 42, of Victoria Street, Loughborough, arrested on Friday 19 April, has been charged with two counts of supplying class A drugs and two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A, all between 31 July 2018 and 19 October 2018.

Arrests

A 43-year-old man, from Tottenham, who was arrested on Thursday 18 April on suspicion of supplying a class A drug, has been released pending further enquiries.

All of the below were arrested today (Tuesday 23 April).

A 37-year-old man, from Loughborough, has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

A 29-year-old Loughborough man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

A 21-year-old woman, from Leicester, has been arrested on suspicion of supplying class A drugs.

Two men aged 25 and 57, from Loughborough, have been arrested on suspicion of supplying a class A drug.

A group of Leicestershire Police officers and staff members will be taking part in the London marathon this Sunday for a host of worthy causes.

Among them are Police Constables, a team leader in call handling, Detective Superintendent and an Inspector, all of whom will be turning their attention away from crime and instead towards the mammoth running challenge.

Among those tackling the impressive 26.2 mile challenge in the capital for an impressive 14th consecutive year, is catering manager Phil Woods.

He said: “When I ran my first marathon back in 2006 I never intended to still be doing it now, but the support that I’ve received from charities ‘HemiHelp’ who are now part of ‘Contact’ since our son, George was diagnosed with Hemiplegia at the age of 22 months was, and still is so fantastic.

Hemiplegia is a neurological condition that affects one side of the body and can be seen in one in every 1,000 children. Phil added: “I’ve said for a number of years that this will be my last one, but I think that this year it genuinely is. I’ve had a foot problem since June and have been doing everything possible to get myself fit and ready.”

While Phil is a veteran in the marathon world, for PC Rob Rollings of Keyham Lane, it will be his first ever marathon.

He said: “I’ve always fancied the challenge. I’m raising money for the Missing People charity. It seemed like a really worthy cause as it’s so close to what we as police do. Each year in the UK 80,000 children go missing and we must act fast to find them. Any support I can give to a charity that looks to make a difference seems worthwhile to me.”

Scott Linnett, from the force’s contact management department, will be following in Rob’s footsteps to raise money for the Missing People Charity.

He said: “My role as team leader in the control room means that I risk assess missing people daily, so it seemed like a worthy and logical cause to support. Families and friends often require a great deal of support in the event of such an incident and when the police can no longer offer this, then the missing people charity can take over this role.

“The training has been intense, but I haven’t missed a session so I’m looking forward to the day.”

There will also be first time marathon attempts for PC Roseanna Cockerill, PC Sharon Roscoe and PC Steve Johnson, all of whom entered the marathon in a similar fashion – on a whim!

Roseanna said: “I am by no means a runner and don’t expect to have a quick time, but I’ve been training since the beginning of the year. I’m raising money for Leicestershire charity ‘Wishes 4 Kids’, which means that not only will I be running my first ever marathon, I’ll also be doing it dressed as a purple fairy in a tutu with wings.”

Inspector Nicky Preston and Detective Superintendent Paul McKinder will be taking on their second and fourth marathons respectively. Paul is running for the Children with Cancer charity and is aiming to beat the five hour mark for the first time ever, while Nicky is running for brain injury charity, ‘Headway’, an organisation particularly close to her heart.

She said: “A year ago my brother Simon and his wife were walking home when they were hit by a car. Simon suffered severe head injuries and was airlifted to hospital. It was an extremely scary time and we were told to prepare for the worst.

Fortunately, Simon came out the other side, but other families don’t receive such good news. Headway supports both people with brain injuries as well as their families.

“I couldn’t do a lot for Simon at the time so this is my way of doing something to pay back the great work this charity does for others.”

If you would like to support any of these worthy causes visiting their justgiving pages:

Contact Management Department: Scott Linnett, Missing People Charity

Detective Superintendent: Paul McKinder, Children with Cancer UK

Inspector: Nicky Preston, ‘Headway’

PC: Robert Rollings, Missing People Charity

PC: Roseanna Cockerill, Wishes 4 Kids

PC: Sharon Roscoe, Air Ambulance

PC: Stephen Johnson, Caudwell Children Charity

Procurement & Support Services Catering: Phil Woods, ‘Contact'

A 56-year-old man who was arrested yesterday (Monday 22 April) remains in custody.

The man was arrested at an address in Barwell in connection with the death of Leah Fray.

Leah was found dead at a property in Mere Road, at the junction with Diseworth Street, following a report of a fire on Sunday morning.

Enquiries into the circumstances of her death are ongoing and any witnesses are being asked to call 101, quoting incident 131 of 21 April.

Police have this evening (Monday 22 April) arrested a Leicestershire man in connection with the death of Leah Fray.

The man, who is 56, was arrested at an address in Barwell. He remains in custody and enquiries into the circumstances surrounding Leah’s death are ongoing.

Her body was found when police were called to a report of a fire at a flat in Mere Road – at the junction with Diseworth Street - in the Highfields area of Leicester shortly after 7am yesterday (Sunday).

Detective Chief Inspector Michelle Keen, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Major Crime team is leading the investigation.

She said: “While we have arrested a man in connection with Leah’s death, we would still like to speak to anyone who knew Leah or recognises her from the image we have issued.

“I would also like to speak to anyone who visited the block of flats in which Leah lived or has knowledge of people visiting those properties.

“If you were driving through the area yesterday morning and have a dash cam installed in your vehicle, or you live nearby and have a CCTV camera at your address, please let us know. Any information you have about Leah could be of great help to my investigation.”

Call 101, quoting incident 131 of 21 April.