The Housing Ombudsman has hailed the response of many social landlords to its October 2022 Spotlight report on noise complaints, saying that 60% of landlords who responded had self-assessed against its recommendations and were implementing an action plan.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has voiced concern that proposed amendments to the Renters Reform Bill tabled by the Government could weaken key measures, including the ban on Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, the redress scheme and essential enforcement measures.
The Court of Appeal has rejected the Home Secretary’s appeal over a High Court judgment quashing the 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.
Local government is struggling to manage social cohesion threats involving misinformation, conspiracy theories, and intimidation from extremist groups, according to an independent review by Dame Sara Khan DBE on social cohesion and resilience.
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.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued reprimands to Dover Harbour Board and Kent Police after officers from both organisations used WhatsApp and instant-messaging service ‘Telegram’ on their personal phones to share information for the purpose of combatting vehicle crime.
Using, threatening, inciting, justifying, glorifying or excusing violence towards members of local government could be considered behaviour constituting extremism under new guidance issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Legislation on anti-social behaviour does not distinguish between aggressive and passive begging in determining whether an offence has been committed, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
A High Court judge has granted local authorities in the West Midlands full and final injunctions banning ‘street racing’, also known as ‘street racing’.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Simon Foster, has launched a judicial review challenge against the Home Secretary over the decision to transfer the PCC’s powers to the West Midlands Mayor.
A defendant local authority has successfully defended a judicial review challenge to its housing allocation scheme which included a provision excluding applicants with a history of serious anti-social behaviour. Clare Cullen explains how.
The Divisional Court has dismissed two conjoined challenges to a Public Spaces Protection Order (“PSPO”) made by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (“BCPC”), which prohibits protests and vigils from taking place within a “safe zone” outside a BPAS clinic where abortions are performed. Kuljit Bhogal KC and Tara O’Leary analyse the ruling.
The Supreme Court has confirmed the standard of proof to be applied for gang and anti-social behaviour injunctions. Kuljit Bhogal KC, Andrew Lane, Sarah Salmon and Jack Barber consider the judgment’s impact and implications.
Every police force in England and Wales is to receive at least £1m to roll out so-called “hotspot” patrols targeting areas with high levels of anti-social behaviour, the Government has announced.
The Government has laid legislation in Parliament to transfer the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) functions to the West Midlands and South Yorkshire mayors.
The Welsh Government has appointed commissioners to oversee South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority following the publication of an independent review that found a culture of sexism and misogyny in many places.
The Housing Ombudsman has made three findings of severe maladministration in three cases involving Waltham Forest Council, including poor handling of a damp and mould case involving a vulnerable resident and another resident experiencing anti-social behaviour (ASB) for 5 years.
The Government has launched a consultation on a package of reforms to social housing in England that could see those who commit anti-social behaviour (ASB) banned from social housing for up to five years, and lead to the introduction of new UK connection and local connection tests.
The First Tier Tribunal has heard a Freedom of Information (FOI) appeal over the refusal from police forces to release anonymised data relating to the controversial anti-terrorism programme Prevent.
The Housing Ombudsman has criticised Croydon Council after finding severe maladministration in four cases that covered several aspects of the landlord’s responsibilities, including anti-social behaviour, adaptations and mutual exchange.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has launched a consultation on the introduction of strict time limits for social housing providers requiring them to take swift action in addressing dangerous hazards such as damp and mould.
The introduction of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in the vicinity of a clinic in Bournemouth which provides abortion services was lawful, the High Court has ruled.
The Regulator of Social Housing has issued a report highlighting the responsibility of boards and councillors to understand social landlords’ legal obligations in relation to managing the safety of buildings, seek assurance that they are being met, and address identified issues promptly.
The Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, has requested the Government transfer Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) powers and functions to the West Midlands Mayoralty after claiming the current policing governance structure is "not working".
The Housing Ombudsman has found severe maladministration for Clarion after its “lack of consideration” of a resident’s vulnerability when handling his complaints about noise led to him suffering over a nine-month period.
The Government is to delay commencement of a ban on section 21 no-fault evictions “until stronger possession grounds and a new court process is in place”.
Underlying issues at Islington Council such as a "disjointed" approach to complaints and a "lack of clear ownership’ is leading to problems drifting and persisting, the Housing Ombudsman has said in a report on its special investigation into the London borough.
Surrey Police, Sussex Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex are to procure a legal services framework worth an estimated £22m over seven years.
Organisations imposing Behavioural Control Orders (BCOs) are failing to consider their punitive nature and whether they pose problems for legal clarity, the rule of law and human rights, new research from JUSTICE has claimed.
The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, has selected three panellists to conduct an independent review into civil unrest that occurred in Leicester last year.
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, has commissioned legal advice on the banning of “lethal” American bully XL dogs, after an attack on a young girl in Birmingham.
The Housing Ombudsman has called on the chief executive of Six Town Housing, the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) for Bury Council, to apologise on behalf of the landlord directly to a Manchester resident, after her noise nuisance complaints were ignored or not acted effectively on for nearly two years.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has said that people across the country are suffering from the consequences of antisocial behaviour (ASB) because councils are not thinking comprehensively about how they can tackle it.
Councils do not, at present, have the powers they need to effectively manage local gambling premises, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman have jointly criticised Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Homes (NCH) for the way they dealt with a woman’s antisocial behaviour complaints and subsequent requests to move house.
A tenant has obtained an injunction order to secure access to his London property, after he was unable to return following the discharge of an antisocial behaviour injunction.
A seven-justice panel of the Supreme Court has unanimously dismissed an appeal over the standard of proof required for the imposition of a gang-related injunction.
The Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan puts forward a number of proposals to help registered providers combat anti-social behaviour. Daniel Conroy highlights the key measures.
Piers Riley-Smith analyses a judgment of the High Court in an appeal by case stated concerning the wrongful dismissal in the Magistrates Court of an application for an Abatement Order (‘the Order’) under s.82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Jack Barber and Sarah Salmon set out effective legal responses for social housing providers when it comes to tackling gang-related violence and drug dealing.
Christopher Buckingham and Thomas Edwards consider police powers in respect of trespassers under s 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (as recently amended) and s 60C (as recently inserted by s 83 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
New legislation implementing Grenfell Inquiry recommendations means that local authority conveyancers need to look again at the terms of their standard right-to-buy lease, writes V. Charles Ward.
A driver who entered into inappropriate conversations with a child has lost his appeal against revocation of his private hire driver licence. Olivia Davies explains why.
Should tenants be advised to remain in unlicensed HMOs to maximise rent repayment orders? Robin Stewart looks at the issues and discusses what local authorities should be telling tenants.
Michelle Caney explains the key developments leading up to a recent Court of Appeal judgment on final injunctions against 'newcomers', and analyses the ruling's effect and the implications for future cases.
The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by 15 councils over whether final injunctions can be granted against ‘newcomers’. Ranjit Bhose QC and Wayne Beglan analyse the ruling.
Sefton Council has overturned a Magistrates Court’s decision to grant a taxi licence to an ex-policeman convicted of child abduction. Gary Grant explains how.