Affected council services

At the moment, our priority is ensuring staff can run our critical services – public health, adults, children’s, regulatory services, urgent road repairs and waste disposal.

We are:

Asking staff to work from home, where possible
Looking at how we can protect the most vulnerable
Minimising council meetings in line with Government guidance
Cancelling all public events and large gatherings, such as a recruitment open day, adult learning courses, some theatre and attraction events.

For more information, check the individual service updates below.

Adult day servicesHide content

Adult learningHide content
All adult learning courses are cancelled until further notice.
You might also be interested in:
- News: GoLearn adult learning classes suspended due to coronavirus

Adult social care servicesHide content

Blue Badge and concessionary bus passesHide content
On 3 April 2020 the Department for Transport announced that local authority parking teams should not issue Penalty Charge Notices for Blue Badges with an expiry date of 1 January 2020 onwards. This should continue initially until 30 September 2020, and only applies to local authority parking not private car parks such as hospitals, shopping centres and supermarkets.
We are still accepting new and renewal applications for Blue Badges and concessionary bus passes. There will be some delay to the processing of Blue Badge and concessionary bus pass applications, and dealing with enquiries, due to the change in working arrangements. Please use online application and renewal forms where possible. Please note that due to the restrictions put in place and for the protection of applicants and our staff as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, we have suspended face to face assessments. You will be added to a waiting list and invited to attend an assessment once they recommence. We thank you for your patience at this time.
Apply for a Blue Badge online
Renew a Blue Badge online
From Tuesday 24 March 2020 until further notice all concessionary pass holders whose journey starts in Leicestershire may travel for free on local bus services before 9.30am – passes will still need to be presented to the driver or ticket machine as normal. Passengers are advised to practise social distancing whilst on board, and to wash their hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when they disembark.
Apply for an older person's bus pass online
Apply for a disabled person's bus pass online

Children and family wellbeing centresHide content
These centres are now closed until further notice.
You might also be interested in:
- Children and family wellbeing centres
- Childrens centre updates

County HallHide content
The County Hall building is closed to the public.
You might also be interested in:
- Opening times and contact information

Country ParksHide content
People who are able to access our parks are welcome to visit as part of their daily exercise, but should follow social distancing guidelines at all times, staying 2m apart from others.
Car parks will begin reopening from Wednesday 13 May 2020. However, playgrounds, toilets, cafes and other visitor facilities are closed and will remain closed until further notice.
To help ensure safety within the parks, we are reducing the capacity in car parks, installing additional signage and increasing the presence of wardens and rangers on site.
Ticket machines are regularly sanitised, but we ask that contactless payments are used where possible and Government hygiene recommendations are followed:
- use gloves for shared surfaces e.g ticket machines and regularly sanitise hands.
To see which car parks are open, please check the country parks website and social media channels.
You might also be interested in:
- Country Parks in Leicestershire
- Where to walk in Leicestershire

Early YearsHide content
Parents are asked to keep their children at home wherever possible, and for early years and childcare settings to remain open only for children who are vulnerable and for those children of workers critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19) response who need to attend.
Please see government guidance on What parents and carers need to know about schools, colleges and other education settings during the coronavirus outbreak.
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Early Years and childcare
School readiness
Extra help for pre-school children

EventsHide content

LibrariesHide content
Leicestershire libraries are currently closed. All events and activities usually held at libraries have been cancelled. These closures are in place until further notice.
Libraries in Leicestershire - Coronavirus FAQs PDF, 111 kbOpens new window
Mobile libraries will not be operating until further notice.
You might also be interested in:
- Join the Library

MuseumsHide content

ParksHide content
All parks have been closed until further notice. See update on Country Parks above.
You might also be interested in:
- Where to walk in Leicestershire

Park & RideHide content

Recycling and household waste sitesHide content
Some of our recycling and household waste sites have reopened.
You should only go to a site if your waste cannot be stored at home without causing a risk of injury, health or harm to a you or other members of your household. If you can temporarily store your waste in a way that does not pose a risk to yours or others safety or human health, then you must do so.
You must book an appointment if you need to visit a site.
Permits
Applications for waste permits remain suspended until further notice, for all sites.

RegistrarsHide content
Focusing on the health and wellbeing of our staff and customers is our top priority. In line with national guidance and government recommendations we have taken steps to reschedule services we provide where possible.
All ceremonies (including weddings) remain suspended at this time but on 11 May 2020, the government published its latest guidance on the coronavirus recovery. It includes examining how to enable slightly larger groups to gather for events such as small weddings during stage 2, which will not be before 1 June and only if the correct conditions are met.
The registration service awaits the outcome of discussions and further guidance. We will publish details as soon as we are aware of any changes.
Registrations of births are currently suspended but there are special provisions in place so that you can put in a claim for a child benefit and any tax credits without registering the birth.
From 30 March 2020 registrations of deaths will move to a telephone basis. Your doctor or hospital will send the medical certificate to the registration service electronically and we will contact you to make a telephone appointment, complete the registration and issue the green form for burial or cremation electronically. Death certificates will be posted to you and you will be asked to make payment for these on the telephone at the time of registration.
Following the changes to legislation regarding COVID-19 and the suspension of Citizenship Ceremonies, please note that there has been an extension to the period in which you should have your ceremony from three to six months.
If you have questions or concerns regarding your citizenship ceremony, wedding, civil partnership or registering a birth, please get in touch with the registrars team directly on 0116 305 6565 or use our contact us form.
More information: Registration services and Coronavirus updates

Roads and TravelHide content
Services will be prioritised to ensure urgent work is done.
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SchoolsHide content
For the latest updates on schools, see Coronavirus – school closures and updates
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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)Hide content
During this difficult time it is important that we ensure that support is provided to the most vulnerable children and families who have the most extensive needs. We have had to make the difficult decision to reduce or stop some of the services we provide.
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Venues and attractionsHide content
The following venues have been agreed to be closed with immediate effect, following Government guidance.
- Century Theatre
- Beacon Café and Park
- Beaumanor Hall
- Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and 1485 and Tithe Barn
- 1620s House
- Charnwood Museum
- Melton Museum
- Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland at Wigston Magna

WasteHide content
See latest updates under Recycling and household waste sites above.
Trade waste
From Monday 30 March we will no longer be taking cash or cheque payments at the Whetstone Transfer Station weighbridge. There will also be a new process for credit cards where the driver will be asked to call the number displayed at the site and give the operative the card details. Receipts will then be sent via email.
As of Saturday 11 April 2020 Whetstone weighbridge will not be open on Saturday mornings (until further notice).
You might also be interested in:
- Apply for a waste permit
- Where you can take business or commercial waste

You might also be interested in:

News: GoLearn adult learning classes suspended due to coronavirus

Fostering

Bosworth Medieval Festival

Permits

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Trade waste