Green Councillors Column

In our last article we explained that the Local Plan was coming to Council. It has now been adopted, which is an important step for planning in our area.
We have said for a long time that Syston has already taken more than its fair share of new housing, and we do not agree with how so many homes were allocated to our town.
However, without an up-to-date Local Plan the council has very weak powers to refuse poor or speculative development. A final Plan gives clearer rules, stronger checks on infrastructure, and better policies on drainage and flood risk. It does not approve any current planning applications and it cannot undo building that has already happened, but it does give our community stronger protection.
The application for the proposed 1,100 homes is now open for public comment, and it is good to see so many residents having their say. Green councillors have ‘called in’ the application, which means it must be decided at a public Plans Committee meeting rather than behind closed doors.
Flooding remains one of our top priorities. As mentioned before, we secured funding for new flood lockers with emergency equipment.
Syston Town Council and the local flood group are working hard to find the best place to site a locker, and we are supporting them with this and the grant application. Practical steps like this help our town prepare for future flooding. We will continue working with different agencies to do our best to protect homes and businesses.
The council will set its budget at the end of February. At the time of writing, Charnwood Borough Council is proposing not to increase its share of council tax by the maximum amount. Charnwood charges make up only a small part of the total bill, with most coming from County Council and Police and Fire services.
Charnwood’s finances are in a fairly strong position this year, and we believe it is right to keep any rise fair and reasonable. Council budgets do not work in the same way as a household budget. Setting tax too low affects future funding and can lead to service cuts or sharp increases later.
The proposed 2.5% increase, equal to £3.27 per year for a Band D home, aims to strike a sensible balance by protecting services while keeping costs steady and predictable for residents.