District councillor Nick Rushton says residents are now 'talking up' Coalville now that a number of new projects are beginning to take shape.

Cllr Rushton - also the leader of Leicestershire County Council - was presenting a report on North West Leicestershire District Council's budget to the cabinet meeting held last week.

He listed the new ventures and initiatives in the Coalville area, such as the new leisure centre, Newmarket and the planned redevelopment of Marlborough Square.

And the Conservative councillor said residents are now beginning to see the town in a new light.

Cllr Rushton said: "We should go out there and be proud of what this council has achieved in the years we've been in administration.

"We will continue to undertake ambitious, but financially sound projects.

"Taken together, these projects will contribute towards our aim of making Coalville a more vibrant, family-friendly town."

Cllr Rushton added he now sees a significant difference in the town.

He added: "I'm not a Coalville person, I don't often go there, but when I went there the other day I could really see the attitude of the people on the street is improving as well.

"People are beginning to say they're proud to be living in Coalville.

"They talk up the town, whereas in the old days people would say: 'North West Leicestershire's all right, but I don't want to live in Coalville'.

"But if you see the amount of development in the town, plus the regeneration of Coalville town centre, I think that, in time, that'll be replaced by people saying they're proud to come from Coalville.

"And they must be doing it now.

"All the houses that are being built in the greater Coalville area means people must be proud to go and live there."