Not enough was done to protect people in adult social care settings between March and mid-April 2020: Covid Inquiry
Not enough was done by the government to protect people in care settings in the early stages of the pandemic, leading to more than 43,000 recorded deaths involving Covid-19 in care homes between March 2020 and July 2022, the sixth report of the Covid inquiry has found.
Human rights committee "remain concerned" about implications of Supreme Court AGNI deprivation of liberty ruling in practice
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has written to the Minister of State for Social Care, Alison McGovern, to say its members remain concerned about the implications in practice of the Supreme Court AGNI judgment on deprivations of liberty.
ICO reprimands two Welsh organisations – including local government company – after cyber-attack
The Information Commission’s Office (ICO) has reprimanded the Local Government Data Unit – Wales, known as Data Cymru, and Ogi Networks Limited (ONL) after a cyber-attack exposed children’s information.
Court of Appeal hears appeal by council over requirement to redetermine complaint by resident over neighbour’s cats
The Court of Appeal is today (20 October) hearing a council’s appeal over a High Court judgment that required the local authority to redetermine a man's complaint regarding his neighbour's cats fouling in his garden.
Permission granted for legal challenge over government failure to publish environmental reports proactively
A legal claim over the Government’s failure to “proactively” share important environmental information has been granted permission to proceed to a full hearing.
Regulator of Social Housing withdraws decision to de-register housing association after High Court challenge
The Regulator of Social Housing has withdrawn its decision to de-register a housing association from the register of social housing providers, following a High Court challenge.
Think tank calls for ‘equal access’ national assessment amid substantial variation between similar local authorities in number of people accessing long-term social care
The King’s Fund has warned of a ‘social care postcode lottery’ after finding that the proportion of people accessing long-term social care varies “substantially” even between similar local authorities, with some areas supporting up to twice as many people per 100,000 as their nearest ‘statistical…
Tribunal judge committed misconduct when standing as candidate in local election
A tribunal judge has been given formal advice after he sat as a paper candidate in a local election.
Children’s Commissioner calls for national Children’s Emergency Fund after finding “enormous disparities” in levels of support across country
A new report by the Children’s Commissioner has highlighted significant variation in the levels of support for children and young people across the country, warning that a ‘postcode lottery’ shows up “in every area of children’s lives”.
Housing Ombudsman reports third-party IT security incident affecting its case management system
The Housing Ombudsman has revealed that a “a third-party IT security incident” has impacted its case management system.
Community Protection Notices should be scrapped over “subjective” enforcement, campaigners say
A campaign group has called for Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to be scrapped after claiming that councils are using the powers on highly subjective grounds, including to restrict garden water fountains, bird feeding and shouting in people's own homes.
London borough approves new powers to remove dangerously parked e-bikes
Ealing Council has approved plans to strengthen its enforcement powers against dangerously parked rental e-bikes, amid an ongoing dispute with an operator that has refused to leave the London borough.
Solicitor Wellbeing Alliance launched in bid to improve mental health across profession
The Law Society, LawCare, The Solicitors’ Charity and the Mindful Business Charter have launched a new Solicitor Wellbeing Alliance for England and Wales aimed at improving mental health and wellbeing across the profession. The four organisations said the aim is to provide a more coordinated…
Ten law firms named to legal services lot in National Framework for Developer-Led Schemes 2026 set up by Pagabo
Pagabo, acting as an agent of procurement organisation YPO, has named 10 law firms to a panel advising on developer-led developments.
Council accuses police of mishandling fraud investigation into local authority-owned company
Medway Council has backed a motion calling for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to investigate Kent Police's handling of a seven-year fraud investigation.
Magistrates’ Court to hear appeal this week from community church against council decision to issue Community Protection Notice over preaching
An evangelical church is preparing an appeal against a Community Protection Notice (CPN) issued by Colchester City Council to restrain the group’s preaching, with a hearing due to take place at Basildon Magistrates’ Court later this week (22 October).
Homes England names 18 firms to next national legal services framework
Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency, has named 18 law firms to its Legal Services Framework 2026-2030, which is estimated to be worth more than £75m.
Council facing legal challenge over aviary closure plans
Sefton Council is facing a legal challenge against its plans to close an aviary due to “animal welfare concerns” and financial reasons.
Government launches Best Value Inspection at combined authority
The Government has announced a Best Value inspection at Tees Valley Combined Authority amid concerns over the authority's high levels of debt and its leadership and governance arrangements.
Larger councils no cheaper or better at delivering services, Local Councils Network research claims
The largest councils are neither cheaper to run nor better at delivering services than their smaller counterparts, new research from the Local Councils Network (LCN) has suggested.
Government set to send commissioners into Bedford, will extend Slough intervention
The Government has said it is minded to send commissioners into Bedford Borough Council, and has confirmed it will extend its intervention into Slough Borough Council.
Councils warned of cyber security and accountability risks in adopting agentic AI
The Local Government Association (LGA) has said councils using agentic AI should be ambitious but risk aware in new guidance on adopting the technology.
Scottish councils welcome incorporation of European charter on local self-government into Scots Law
Local authorities in Scotland have welcomed the commencement of the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2026, a new law which they say strengthens the democratic role of councils and embeds the principles of local self-government in Scotland’s legal framework.
Palantir and MOPAC resolve High Court procurement dispute over AI contract
A High Court procurement dispute between Palantir and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) over an AI contract has come to an end after both parties agreed to withdraw their allegations against each other.
Council criticised after former leader convicted of fraud joins planning committee
MPs have called upon the Government to intervene at Ashfield District Council after members appointed the local authority's former leader to the planning committee just a month after he had been convicted of fraud and tax evasion.
Judge orders adjournment of fact-finding hearing for third time following information sharing failures
A Deputy High Court Judge has stated his “regret” in having to allow the adjournment of a fact-finding hearing relating to two young children for the third time, after observing “significant failings” in information sharing within the local authority.
High Court to hear judicial review over permission for poultry farm expansion
The High Court has agreed to hear a claim that Braintree District Council approved the expansion of a poultry farm without sufficient environmental and animal-welfare scrutiny.
SEND debt to hit £10bn just 18 months after government bailout, say counties
New figures from the County Councils Network (CCN) show councils’ special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) deficits are on track to reach a record £10.4bn by March 2028, despite a government bailout.
Minister rejects legislative route for West Surrey name change, tells shadow authority to seek legal advice
A request to amend a structural changes order to allow the future West Surrey unitary council to be renamed has been rejected by the Local Government Minister.
ICO reprimands Met Police over unlawful data sharing
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has been reprimanded by the Information Commission (ICO) after officers and staff unlawfully shared personal information through an unapproved third-party platform used to identify suspected shoplifters.
LGA warns against mayors overriding local planning authorities
New mayoral planning powers must "complement, rather than diminish," the role and mandate of local planning authorities, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.
Judge finds provisions of Care Act and MCA to be “adequate protections” in case involving twin sisters with disabilities
The Court of Protection has ruled that the provisions of the Care Act and the Mental Capacity Act are “adequate protections” in a case involving twin sisters who lack capacity to make decisions, while directing that both require a Care Act advocate.
Two more councils launch legal challenges over reorganisation decisions
Kent County Council and East Sussex County Council have become the latest councils to announce judicial review proceedings over local government reorganisation (LGR) plans in their respective areas.
Councillor launches judicial review over standards decision following LGBTQIA+ event row
A member who was found to have breached Devon County Council’s code of conduct after complaining about an LGBTQIA+ event has launched a judicial review challenge over the decision.
Home Office commissions review of security protections for high-profile public figures including local representatives
The Government has launched a review into security arrangements for high-profile public figures – including locally elected representatives – amid concerns about politically motivated harassment and violence.
Insourcing Unit to deliver “biggest wave of insourcing in a generation”: Haigh
The Cabinet Office is establishing a dedicated central Insourcing Unit to support a manifesto commitment to deliver “the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation”, First Secretary of State Louise Haigh has said.
Delayed standards reform should be Government priority, new ethics watchdog says
The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) has urged the Government to accelerate local government standards reform in its first annual letter to the Prime Minister reporting on the health of standards in public life.
Best Value guidance should strengthen role of monitoring officers, LLG and AMO say
The Government should strengthen the role of monitoring officers through changes to the Best Value Duty statutory guidance, with councils required to demonstrate their access to senior decision-makers and involvement in major policy decisions, Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and the Association…
VWV bolsters local government practice with Goolden hire
Law firm VWV has strengthened its Government & Public Services team with the appointment of local government law specialist Jonathan Goolden as a partner based in its Birmingham office.
Northamptonshire town councils support proposed law on contaminated land
Three Northamptonshire town councils have joined to support a law that would require local authorities to monitor and pursue the remediation of contaminated land.
Latest Ministry of Justice data show 13% fall in deprivation of liberty applications and orders made under Mental Capacity Act 2005
The latest family court statistics have shown a 13% decrease in deprivation of liberty (DoL) applications and orders made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Government to press ahead with reforms to enforcement of council tax but promises to carry out new burdens assessment
The Government is to proceed with a package of reforms to the enforcement of council tax which it said would strengthen safeguards for taxpayers before formal enforcement action is taken, “while ensuring councils retain effective powers to collect council tax”.
Judiciary sets out five core principles in position statement on judicial use of AI
The Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has stressed that AI tools must not determine a case’s outcome or displace judicial reasoning, analysis or discretion, in a position statement on judicial use of the technology.
Councils call for long-term funding as costs of supporting children in care rise by £1 billion a year
The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on the Government to deliver “long-term adequate funding” for children’s social care, after analysis has revealed that spending on support for children in care is rising by £1 billion a year.
Organisational culture is key to avoiding governance failures, say LLG and AMO
Lawyers in Local Government (LLG) and the Association of Monitoring Officers (AMO) have told a consultation that ethical behaviour “is shaped less by the existence of a code itself and more by organisational culture”.
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Events
Certified Data Protection Officer Training (CDPO) - The Training Centre
19-10-2026 9:00 am
Online (live)
The Changing Landscape of ASB powers for Social Landlords under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 - Capsticks
21-10-2026
London
Getting ready for Hillsborough Law - DWF 
College Chambers Lecture Day 2026 
Public Sector Insights: When interests collide – Local Authorities as charity trustees - Blake Morgan
22-10-2026
Online (live)
How to Handle a Subject Access Request - Act Now
European Data Protection & Privacy Programme Management - DPO Ready - The Training Centre
26-10-2026
Online (live)
Short Term Lets - Ivy Legal 
Law Enforcement Data Processing and Part 3 of the DPA 2018 - Act Now
29-10-2026 10:00 am
Online (live)
Subsidy Control in 15 – Automatically Unlawful Subsidies - Sharpe Pritchard
29-10-2026 12:00 pm
Online (live)
Managing Inquests: A Practical Guide for Local Authorities - Devonshires 
International Child Protection: Jurisdiction and Cross-Border Care Cases - 42BR
03-11-2026
Online (live)
Subsidy Control in 15 – Exemptions Part 1: Minimal Financial Assistance - Sharpe Pritchard
03-11-2026 12:00 pm
Online (live)
