Academies are publicly funded independent schools. Academies get money direct from the government, not the local council. You can view a list of Academies in Leicestershire.
Adoption allows a person to become parentally responsible for a child. Our Adoption Team can give you all the information you will need to help decide whether adopting a child would be right for you.
Help and advice services for adults with a care need and their carers. Details on getting help at home, paying for care, care homes, social activities and working in care.
Educational courses are available for adults across Leicestershire. We offer a range of subjects at many enrolment centres. We also offer financial support which you can apply for if you are eligible.
Apprenticeships give the chance to get a qualification while learning through on-the-job training. We take on apprentices at County Hall, while the Adult Learning Service offers opportunities with other employers
The Records Office holds archives of historical records and resources. Entry is free but you will need to bring identification. Find out more including opening times and what ID to bring.
Your bins are collected by your district council. If you have a query or problem relating to your bins you should contact your district council directly.
Care homes are residential homes that offer help and care. You can search for a care home, look into costs and find out if your benefits will be affected. The Shared Lives service can also help.
A school catchment area is an area served by a school. You are more likely to get a place at a school if you live in the catchment area. You can view the catchment area map when you search for a school.
Childcare is where your child is looked after by an organisation or another person, while for example you are at work. We provide details of childcare providers.
Children's centres are local centres that offer help and support to all families with babies and children up until they go to school. They also offer various activities for families with young children.
A college is a place where people over the age of 16 years can study for advanced school level qualifications or school level qualifications. You can search for colleges in your area.
If a service or conduct of a Councillor is unsatisfactory or unacceptable you can make a complaint to the County Council. The process for dealing with the complaint depends on the type and level of the complaint.
Compost can be used to help plants grow in your garden. There are a range of different sizes of compost bins, which you can order and buy through Get Composting.
A consultation is when the public are asked for their opinion about proposals to create, change or stop something that affects a service. You can give your feedback on current consultations.
Council tax is collected by your district council to help pay for the services that councils provide. We receive a proportion of it and publish spending online.
A councillor (or elected member) is someone that is elected by the public onto the Council to represent the views of the people in an area. You can search for your local county councillor.
Cycling is an affordable way to get around and can help keep you fit. We have maps of cycle routes in the county and also run courses for adults designed to help improve your confidence and ability on a bike.
The Blue Badge scheme helps you to park closer to your destination. We run the Blue Badge scheme for Leicestershire and provide new and replacement badges.
An eBook is an electronic version of a book which can be read through a tablet computer, eReader or other similar devices. Our digital library services let you download eBooks for free.
Children must get a full-time education from the age of 5 years to the end of the academic year after their 16th birthday. You can find a school in your area or find out about home education.
Environmental Health includes the inspection and regulation of food businesses, pollution, commercial waste, pest control, environmental crime, licensing. Your district council provides this service.
As Lead Local Flood Authority we lead on managing flood risk across the county. We create and maintain local flood risk management strategies and carry out investigations when there is a flood.
The food safety team provide a service which ensures food businesses are safe and hygienic and do not pose a threat to the public. Your district council provides this service.
Fostering gives a child or young person a stable family life if their parents can’t care for them. Our Fostering Team run regular events and can give information on the process and the different types of fostering.
If your child is in reception, year 1 or 2 they can get free school meals as part of the national scheme. After year 2, they may still be able to get free school meals depending on your circumstances.
FEEE stands for Free Early Educational Entitlement. It is funding that is available for all 3 and 4 year olds and some 2 year olds towards the cost of childcare. You can find out when your child is eligible.
We are covered by the Freedom of Information Act. This means that you can make a FOI request about almost any information held by us, as long as it isn’t sensitive or the costs are not too high.
We cut grass between March and October and publish a schedule so that you can see when grass near you will be cut. We’re responsible for cutting grass on verges, reservations and islands throughout the county.
When the temperature drops or snow is forecast we grit roads to try and prevent ice causing problems for road users. We publish a map of gritted routes to help you plan your journey.
A highway is a public road. We maintain over 2,500 miles of road across the county and you can tell us about any problems that you notice. We also issue licences to place items, or carry out work on the road.
Home schooling is where a child is educated at home, instead of at a school. There are certain things you must teach and you’ll need to arrange for your child to sit exams, such as GCSEs.
Household waste is the general everyday rubbish that you and your family produce. You can dispose of household waste through your regular bin collection, or at any of our 14 recycling and household waste sites.
Land charges are searches done when buying a property, usually submitted by the solicitors of the buyer. You can apply for local authority searches online or by post. You can also carry out your own search where we can answer some CON29 enquiries for you.
Leicestershire County Council is a local authority. We are responsible for education, transport, planning, fire and public safety, social care, libraries, waste management and trading standards in Leicestershire.
The Local Offer gives information about the help and services available in Leicestershire for children and young people with special education needs or disabilities.
A long term permit is a type of waste permit. You’ll need one if you’re visiting a recycling and household waste site using some types of vehicle or trailers. You can apply for a permit online.
Mental health problems can affect you physically, emotionally and mentally. You can get help and advice for you or someone you know with a mental illness.
A place that holds a collection of paintings, sculptures and scientific or historical objects. You can find out more about Leicestershire museums and plan your visit.
A nursery school is a place where young children are cared for, usually during the working day. You can search for nurseries and other childcare providers in your area.
The park and ride lets you avoid city centre traffic by parking at one of the sites on the routes into Leicester, then getting the bus into the centre. There are 3 sites to park at and busses run regularly.
Country Parks are areas of land maintained by the council or other organisations, which the public can visit for free. Find out about opening times and parking availability.
You’ll need a waste permit if you’re visiting a recycling and household waste site using some types of vehicle or trailers and to dispose of some types of waste. You can apply for a permit online.
Your district council deals with applications for residential or commercial properties. We are responsible for planning applications for minerals/waste sites and the councils own developments.
The Leicestershire Records Office is a place where historical and cultural information is archived and kept. Look up books, newspapers and other resources.
Rights of way are paths and walking routes which are available for everyone to use. We publish a map showing all public rights of way in Leicestershire.
We run courses to help young and older road users gain more confidence and become safer drivers. We’re also responsible for collecting accident data, to help identify roads where safety improvements are needed.
School transport is a service provided for some children to get to and from school. You can check whether your child is eligible for a free bus or train pass online.
School holidays are when a school is closed to students. School term dates are the dates that schools are open to students and children must attend. You can view the school holidays and term dates for each school year online.
Social services is a term used to describe a wide range of services which protect the vulnerable, help people to live independently, support families and safeguard children who may be at risk of harm.
We are responsible for maintaining and repairing street lights across the county. If you notice a problem with a street light you can tell us and we will look into it.
The county and district councils, the police, NHS and other agencies are working together to improve support for the most vulnerable families across the county.
Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills and meet new people. There are lots of different unpaid roles available across the council, including at country parks, libraries and museums.
There are over 3000km of paths and walking routes in Leicester and Leicestershire, which are available for everyone to use. We also publish a map showing public rights of way.
You’ll need a waste permit if you’re visiting a recycling and household waste site using some types of vehicle or trailers and to dispose of some types of waste. You can apply for a permit online.
A wedding is a ceremony or celebration of a marriage. It can be a religious ceremony in a church or chapel or take place at one of our registration offices.
Work experience gives you the chance to try a job on a voluntary basis for a short period of time. Our internship scheme is similar in that you can try a job on a voluntary basis for up to 4 weeks.