Leicester community contacts: councils, libraries and local spaces

Inside Leicester: one city council

Leicester City Council is a unitary authority. Within the city boundary it provides both the services often associated with a district council and those normally handled by a county council. That includes Council Tax, bins, housing, planning, roads, schools, libraries and social care. Do not direct city residents to Leicestershire County Council simply because Leicester is in the wider geographical county.

Start with the city council's service directory and choose the relevant subject. For a missed collection, housing problem or planning enquiry, the service page is more useful than an unrelated general contact. Keep any reference number when following up an existing request.

Outside the city: county and district

In the surrounding two-tier county area, Leicestershire County Council handles services including social care, highways and waste disposal. District and borough councils handle matters including Council Tax, housing, household rubbish collection and most planning applications. Waste collection and waste disposal are different responsibilities; use the relevant service page rather than assuming one council handles both.

The seven district and borough councils are Blaby, Charnwood, Harborough, Hinckley and Bosworth, Melton, North West Leicestershire, and Oadby and Wigston. Parish or town councils may also provide local facilities, but they do not replace the county or district authority. A Leicester postal address is not proof that a property lies inside the city boundary.

Use the government's postcode lookup before reporting a problem if you are unsure, especially near the city boundary or after moving home. Local government reorganisation proposals are not themselves a change to service responsibility; follow the current council lookup and service pages rather than a proposed map.

Libraries and community venues

Leicester's city libraries provide books, computers, study spaces and activities. Joining is free, although some services are chargeable. Use the city library finder to check the branch you want, its opening arrangements and available facilities rather than relying on another branch's timetable.

For a meeting, class or celebration, the council's community-centre pages give venue facilities and contact details. Ask the chosen venue about capacity, accessibility, kitchen use, charges and booking conditions before advertising an event. These pages concern city facilities; for a venue outside Leicester, check its operator or the relevant local council.