06/11/2024 – Current Awareness

Fine after builder paralysed while working on house – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2024 in construction industry, fines, health & safety, industrial injuries, news by tracey

‘A builder fears he may not be able to walk his daughters down the aisle after he was left paralysed when he fell through a ceiling. Andrew Clifford misses the simple things he used to love – the gardening, washing the car and jobs around his family home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Now, he says, he cannot wash or dress himself after he fell two years ago when he was working on a house for Mansfield-based Paul Freeman Ltd. The company was fined £40,000 on Monday at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court over a health and safety breach in relation to the fall.’

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BBC News, 5th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Online services should prepare to conduct illegal content risk assessment – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 6th, 2024 in codes of practice, enforcement, internet, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Online service providers in scope of the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) should get ahead and prepare to conduct an illegal content risk assessment to ensure they do not fall foul of Ofcom’s enforcement powers, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th November 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

HMO licensing appeals: to re-hear, or not to re-hear? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 6th, 2024 in appeals, houses in multiple occupation, housing, licensing, local government, news, notification by tracey

‘Angela Piears considers a First-tier Tribunal (FTT) case about HMO licences: How should the FTT approach the hearing of an HMO licensing appeal? Who can challenge the decision to grant an HMO licence? How should a local authority serve notices on a freehold company?’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Improvement or remediation, or both? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 6th, 2024 in building law, case management, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, repairs, tribunals by tracey

‘Robert Bowker considers how the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has dealt with fire safety cases where an improvement notice under the Housing Act 2004 has been served and an application for a remediation order under s. 123 of the Building Safety Act 2022 has been made.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Renters’ Rights Bill – Supported Housing Providers focus: new grounds for possession – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 6th, 2024 in bills, housing, landlord & tenant, local government, news, rent by tracey

‘Matthew Watts and Sarah Orchard briefly explore the changes being proposed in the Renters’ Rights Bill and consider some of the impacts on the supported housing sector, where flexibility in management of housing stock is often key.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Unapologetic SRA dismisses Axiom Ince report as “opinion” – Legal Futures

Posted November 6th, 2024 in fraud, law firms, Legal Services Board, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by tracey

‘The leaders of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) yesterday refused to apologise to the profession about the Axiom Ince collapse as they dismissed the report criticising its actions as just opinion.’

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BBC news, 6th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ex-head of police standards banned for drink-driving – BBC news

Posted November 6th, 2024 in community service, disciplinary procedures, drunk in charge, news, police, professional conduct, sentencing by tracey

‘The former head of a police force’s professional standards department has been banned from driving after “swerving all over the road” while drink-driving.’

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BBC News, 5th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Broadmoor nurse struck off for patient relationship – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2024 in disciplinary procedures, hospitals, news, nurses, professional conduct by tracey

‘A nurse who had a relationship with a patient at a high-security psychiatric hospital before resuming it years later has been struck off.’

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BBC News, 6th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Scores of taxi drivers given licenses despite having convictions for violent offences – The Independent

Posted November 6th, 2024 in charities, criminal records, licensing, murder, news, statistics, taxis, victims, violent offenders, women by tracey

‘Scores of taxi drivers have been able to obtain licenses despite having convictions for violent offences, a charity has found. Data obtained following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveals drivers with convictions, including for violent crimes like assault, battery and harassment, have still been given licences even though licensing authorities are aware of the offences they committed.’

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The Independent, 5th November 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Domestic abuse victim’s new home address leaked to ex-partner after data breach – The Independent

Posted November 6th, 2024 in data protection, domestic violence, news, non-molestation orders, restraining orders, victims by tracey

‘A domestic abuse victim said she was left fearing for her life after a company which obtains restraining orders accidentally leaked her home address to her ex-partner.’

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The Independent, 5th November 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ban to stop children from ever smoking a cigarette to be introduced in Parliament – The Independent

Posted November 6th, 2024 in bills, children, health, news, smoking by tracey

‘A ban to stop children from legally smoking tobacco when they become adults is set to be introduced in Parliament.’

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The Independent, 5th November 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Swearing at work is particularly common in north of England, judge says – The Guardian

Posted November 6th, 2024 in employment, employment tribunals, judges, news, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘As every southerner knows, people from the north of England will not eat chips without gravy, insist on talking to every stranger they meet and often sport a flat cap when walking the whippet. But do they also swear more? In an employment tribunal judgment that raises further questions about regional stereotypes, a judge has suggested that swearing in the workplace is particularly common in the north.’

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The Guardian, 5th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog rules Eurostar ads on social media for £39 seats were misleading – The Guardian

Posted November 6th, 2024 in advertising, internet, news, ombudsmen, railways by tracey

‘Cross-channel train operator Eurostar has been criticised by the advertising watchdog for exaggerating the number of £39 seats on sale. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled that Eurostar ads across Instagram and Facebook for £39 tickets from London to Amsterdam and Brussels were misleading, the second time it has censured its ads this year.’

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The Guardian, 6th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bill to ban police cell mental health detentions – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2024 in bills, detention, mental health, news, police by tracey

‘Police will no longer be able to hold people who are being detained for mental health reasons in police cells, under government plans for England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 6th November 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk