Decision by Home Secretary to abolish Police and Crime Commissioner role in West Midlands unlawful, High Court rules

A High Court judge has quashed the Home Secretary’s decision to abolish the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) role in the West Midlands and transfer its policing governance powers to the Mayor of West Midlands. Read more
SPOTLIGHT

A zero sum game?

The number of SEND tribunal cases is rising and the proportion of appeals ‘lost’ by local authorities is at a record high. Lottie Winson talks to education lawyers to understand the reasons why, and sets out the results of Local Government Lawyer’s exclusive survey.

  NEWS

March 18, 2024

London borough to remove Palestinian flags amid legal threat

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has decided to remove Palestinian flags from council buildings and infrastructure after receiving a letter before claim that argued the flag-flying breached the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
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  FEATURES AND ANALYSIS

March 15, 2024

Condition precedents in light of Lancashire Schools v Lendlease

Condition precedents are common in various commercial agreements. Ewan Anthony and David Owens discuss the court’s general approach to considering contractual condition precedents, and whether, particularly after the recent case of Lancashire Schools SPC Phase 2 Limited v Lendlease Construction (Europe) Limited and Others [2024] EWHC 37 (TCC), the court may be prepared to disregard them.
March 13, 2024

Setting aside s84 final orders modifying covenants

The London Borough of Southwark has successfully obtained the setting aside of parts of a final order made under s.84 of the Law of Property Act 1925 modifying covenants in a lease of a public house. Philip Rainey KC explains how.
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On demand webinars

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Employment law round up and preview

Join Julie Bann, David Leach and Christian Grierson as they review the key cases for employers from 2023 as well as a look ahead to the new laws coming in during 2024 and how these will impact your workforce.

The Key Reforms of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 - Access to Information Scheme

In this edition of our Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 Digest series, Ben Pumphrey and Sarah Greenhalgh review the Access to Information Scheme and how this will impact on social housing landlords:

Charging, the Care Act and capacity - in conversation with Arianna Kelly and Alex Ruck Keene KC

Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) is joined by his 39 Essex Chambers colleague Arianna Kelly to discuss her new book Social Care Charging (Law Society, 2023) for his Mental Capacity Law and Policy blog.

  MORE NEWS

  MORE FEATURES

March 13, 2024

Housing case law – February 2024

Alice Hughes, Tim Pearl and Janette Plummer round up the latest cases and court decisions of interest to housing associations and local authorities.
March 13, 2024

Vulnerability within social housing

The Housing Ombudsman has recently identified the meaning of 'vulnerability' when it comes to social housing. Sarah Orchard and Deborah Jeremiah look at the report’s recommendations and set out the key risks for landlords.
March 08, 2024

Implementation – deviation from plans

Roderick Morton analyses a recent case which examined, amongst other things, whether a permission can be considered implemented if there is deviation from the approved plans.
March 08, 2024

Making out of borough offers

Jeremy Ogilvie-Harris and Hannah Taylor look at how conscientious and lawful out of borough offers of accommodation under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 can be made.
March 08, 2024

Above and beyond

Can local plan policies require developers to go beyond national standards? Simon Ricketts analyses a recent Planning Court ruling.
March 08, 2024

Spotlight on Construction Law

It has been a busy year in the construction industry, write David Owens, Rachel Murray-Smith and Helen Arthur, with some standout legislative changes, including in relation to the Building Safety Act 2022, and the Government issuing a significant paper in respect of behaviours relating to PFI contracts.
March 08, 2024

Closing the gap: community engagement

Alison Marr analyses the transfer of public assets to community bodies in Scotland and the disconnect within part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act 2015.
March 08, 2024

Adjudication and voluminous documents

A recent ruling from the Technology and Construction Court has suggested that voluminous documents will rarely be a breach of natural justice in adjudication, write Arjen Xani and Sarah Wilson.
March 07, 2024

Empty homes: a long-term strategy

Could empty homes strategies assist local authorities struggling to balance the books? Derin Taylor and Lyndon Campbell look at the options.
February 29, 2024

The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023

Jo Pickering, Aidan Dickinson, James Mallery-Nelson, Victoria Okafor and Christopher Watkins explore some of the main legislative changes brought in by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 which are set to impact the local government and property sector(s).
February 27, 2024

Refusing to set a budget

What are the consequences if councillors are unable or refuse to set a budget? Geoff Wild explains.