This story was written by the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), a BBC-funded scheme to improve the coverage of issues relating to local democracy. The Leicester Gazette has been a partner in the scheme since March 2024, and so receives some stories as part of it.
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Leicester City Council announced it was making “significant” changes to its plans for the sites earlier this year after a consultation on proposed changes – which put forward the idea of closing some libraries and community centres or reducing their hours – engaged over 6,000 residents last year.
The revised scheme is expected to save the council £500,000 in 2026/27 and £1.57m in subsequent financial years.
However, councillors had raised concerns that some services are still seeing cuts and closures.
Members from the Green, Lib Dem and Conservative parties called in the decision for extra scrutiny at last Thursday’s full council meeting (March 26).
Patrick Kitterick, of Castle ward (Green), urged members to refer plans back to the authority’s decision makers.
He said: “The council is not on the brink of bankruptcy. It isn’t about to go bust. At the budget meeting, where we last met, there was £60m in reserves that had not been allocated. So this is a choice.
“The only people who stand between those areas getting another kick in are councillors here tonight.”
Ultimately, the request to send the scheme back to the executive was voted down, meaning it will likely go ahead as planned.
Assistant City Mayor Councillor Vi Dempster acknowledged this had been a “very stressful period” for those working at the sites, but assured members the plans reflect a “remodelling” of the service, making it “sustainable” and “appropriate to resident need”.
Below are the the changes Cllr Dempster outlined for each location.
Fosse Neighbourhood Centre and Library
At an average cost of £17.10 per visit last year – the highest of all council-owned libraries – the site was branded “not sustainable”.
While other council sites had been offered up to the community to run, Fosse Neighborhood Centre was not eligible as an estimated £2.6m in repairs is needed before it would be safe to handover.
Cllr Dempster said the only option left was to put it out to tender.
The council is exploring a nearby site where residents can pick up and drop off books, as well as rerouting the book bus to cover the Fosse area on the same day every week.
The library, bowling club, and other community groups using the site will be relocated by this autumn – with the exception of food bank provider Alice Hawkins Community Projects, who will have until the end of this year, when the sale is expected to be complete.
Cllr Dempster added she would like to make money available to the group for moving costs.
Gilmorton Community Rooms
The idea to let the community run Gilmorton Community Rooms was supported at a recent meeting chaired by Cllr Dempster.
One of the sites marked for Community Asset Transfer (CAT), there is reportedly “early interest” from groups who want to run the centre.
Cllr Dempster said: “I have to say that recent history has shown that delivery by community groups can be better than what LCC does, with success stories at the Grove, New Parks Team Hub and the African Caribbean Centre to name but a few.”
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Netherhall Community Centre
Other centres set to be offered to the community include Braunstone Frith Recreation Centre, Coleman Neighbourhood Centre, Eyres Monsell Community Centre, and the Tudor Centre.
The Armadale Centre will also become a community-run facility, after feedback showed residents preferred this building over the Netherhall Neighbourhood Centre, which will be demolished.
Knighton and Evington libraries
Unlike other locations, proposals to hand over Knighton Library and Evington Library to the community were “not well received” by local people, meaning the council will continue to run them.
However, working times are being slashed, with staffed hours available some mornings, afternoons, and one evening per week as well as on Saturdays. Otherwise, visitors can use self-access.
Cllr Dempster said: “What we are delivering is, I believe, the preferred option, having listened to residents.”
Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre and Rushey Mead Recreation Centre will also continue to be run by the council, which wants to improve their financial sustainability.
St Matthews Community Centre
Described as a “red herring” by Cllr Dempster, the council say there will be no loss of service associated with the new plans for St Matthews.
As unsafe concrete was found in the sports hall, services including the library, adult learning, housing advice and community rooms will be moved to a new site around the corner.
Volunteers at the centre have recently told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they still fear for the future of their community groups.
Cllr Dempster added: “Whilst there are a number of community groups that may well be looking for community buildings, that is a separate issue to the St Matthews Centre.
“We will be using some capital investment to reconfigure the current St Matthews Family Hub to deliver all services in one place – so actually we will be delivering an improved service for local residents.”
This is all news which Zakariya Islam, a local youth worker, said is “devastating”. He attended the Town Hall last Thursday to make a final stand against the cuts.
He said: “I don’t understand why local and central governments are not prioritising funds for community & youth centres.
“Mental health issues, suicide, knife crime, and loneliness are at an all time high and without support from community centres and workers – are we expecting the problem to just disappear by itself?
“Leicester’s council needs a revamp and fresh people on the board if they can’t simply understand the importance of community and youth centres. There is £60 million in reserves to use – why are they not using it to save our centres?”
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