Ashby de la Zouch Town Council has called on North West Leicestershire District Council to reverse plans which will directly affect the town.

The council has supported a call to oppose the planned axing of the annual £1,500 grant to Ashby Museum.

But it also criticised plans to increase the charge to use the public toilets by 200 per cent - with uncertainty created about the future of the facilities in the town.

The Town Council expressed the concerns in its response to the District Council's budget consultation.

At Monday evening's meeting of the Finance & Administration Committee, the Town Council also opposed plans to no longer print and distribute annual waste collection calendars, to stop the freephone number for homelessness enquiries and to reduce Age UK's grant.

Chris Smith, Leader of the Town Council, said: "These are mean spirited proposals that are going to put at risk vital services in the town.

"I am very surprised that no Conservative Councillors attended the meeting on Monday to defend their budget proposals.

"Now that the Town Council has taken a firm view to oppose the changes, I hope that the Conservative District Councillors will speak up for Ashby and oppose the changes rather than follow their own party line."

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The meeting on Monday went on to consider its response to Leicestershire County Council's budget consultation.

Cllr Smith added: "As the County Council itself states, 13 years of Government austerity have wreaked havoc with the County Council's finances.

"The reductions in key services over those years have had a severe impact on the residents of Ashby de la Zouch and Blackfordby.

"It is very disappointing to see further cuts of nearly £10million to Children and Family Services, and Adult Social Care."

At the same meeting, Cllr Murrae Blair-Park expressed concerns about the lack of action from the County Council to sort out the footpath link from the new development at Money Hill.

He said: "Soon there will be 100 new homes and 150 car parking spaces with totally inadequate access to the town which will be both dangerous and have very poor accessibility.

"There is money available but lack of action from both the County and District Councils means that we are in this position."

The Town Council has been promised that the new street lighting in Market Street will be funded from the County Council's capital budget for 2024/25.

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But it is not clear whether this is still the case. The Town Council is seeking reassurances that the work will still go ahead soon.