Waiting times for adult social care assessments have fallen by 80 per cent and £16.9m delivered in savings over the last financial year, a new report shows.
Leicestershire County Council’s annual delivery report also says special educational needs and disability (SEND) support plans are completed three times as fast, life expectancy is longer, physical activity among children has gone up, call handling is improved and residents feel better informed.
The report tracks almost over 270 measures across the council’s 400 services.
It also sets out ongoing challenges, including delivering future savings, improving adult social care and strengthening support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
This report shows real progress in services that matter to residents.
Supporting vulnerable people is at the heart of what we do. Reducing waiting times means we can provide vital support sooner.
Rolling out buses, fixing 10,000 potholes and launching a flooding grant scheme make a real difference to people’s lives. We’re connecting communities and making every pound go further.
Person:Acting council leader, Kevin Crook
Councillor Crook added: “There is more to do and we’re not complacent. SEND and social care support change lives and we’re working hard to build on this progress.
“Despite low Government funding, we’re delivering improvements now and planning for the future.”
Key findings for 2025/26, compared to the previous year, include:
- Adult assessment waiting time dropped by 80% - from 157 days to 29
- SEND support plans completed in 18 weeks – down from 58 weeks
- Halfway to planting a million trees by 2032
- On track to create 26,000 new school places by 2031
- £16.9m efficiency savings achieved - more than the previous year
- Fourth best performing county – despite being one of lowest funded in country
- 50.2% children are physically active – compared to 45.1% and the England average of 49%
- 88% of calls answered within target time – up by a tenth
- 50% more apprentices employed – up to 197 from 134
- 1.4m e-downloads - up from 1.2m
The annual delivery report will be discussed by the scrutiny committee today (Wednesday), cabinet next Tuesday (17 November) and full county council in December – tune in online.