Two-thirds of councils say they can’t afford to comply with homelessness law – The Guardian

Posted April 10th, 2019 in benefits, budgets, homelessness, housing, local government, news, statistics by sally

‘The Homelessness Reduction Act, in operation for the past 12 months, is potentially the greatest piece of homelessness legislation for 40 years in England, according to Southwark council in south London. The Labour-run council pioneered the government’s new flagship act, and is upbeat about it. While homelessness went up in the borough last year, as it did across London, the rise was less steep than expected: 8.6% for families placed in temporary accommodation and a similarly small increase for rough sleepers. At the same time, there was also a 50% increase in the number of people the council helped to stay in their home. “It shows the act works,” says the council’s cabinet member for housing, Stephanie Cryan.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough secures temporary injunction prohibiting illegal encampments at 350+ sites – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 10th, 2019 in injunctions, local government, London, news, travellers, waste by sally

‘Hillingdon Council has secured a High Court injunction until 18 June that prohibits illegal encampments on more than 350 sites across the borough.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, April 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mother crowd funds legal action after autistic son “forced to wear fluorescent yellow bib” at school – Local Government Lawyer

‘The mother of a seven-year-old boy is crowd funding a legal challenge against a council, claiming he was “forced to wear a fluorescent yellow bib at school so teachers and the children in the playground where aware, that he is autistic”.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th April 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ending duties after the HRA – Nearly Legal

‘This is a settled judicial review, I’ve seen the grounds, interim order and final consent order. It raises a number of issues about the performance of the new Housing Act 1996 Part VII duties as amended by the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 7th April 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Councils face a losing battle as they crack down on rogue landlords – The Guardian

‘Despite dawn raids and legal action, the number of unlicensed rentals in houses of multiple occupation continues to grow.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council broke law over deprivation of liberty, ombudsman rules – The Guardian

‘A council deliberately broke the law by failing to properly assess whether thousands of vulnerable people were illegitimately kept under continuous and restrictive supervision by care home staff, the local government and social care ombudsman has ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 1st April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council withdraws decision to close special schools after legal challenge – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 28th, 2019 in judicial review, local government, news, special educational needs by sally

‘Wiltshire Council has agreed to withdraw its decision to approve the closure of three special schools and a related notice regarding the opening of a new special school, following legal action from a group of families.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council wins Court of Appeal battle over moving homeless applicant – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 28th, 2019 in appeals, homelessness, housing, local government, news by sally

‘Someone who does not appeal against a local authority review decision that it has discharged its duty towards them as being homeless cannot later challenge that decision in a subsequent application, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Department withdraws ‘myth-busting’ guide to council duties to vulnerable children – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 28th, 2019 in care homes, charities, children, fostering, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘The Department for Education has withdrawn a ‘myth-busting’ guide to council duties to vulnerable children and young people after a charity applied for judicial review, it has been reported.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlord given suspended sentence and ordered to pay £300k+ after hiding families in windowless rooms – Local Government Lawyer

‘A landlord who hid families in windowless rooms after claiming to a council that he had complied with an enforcement notice has been fined £25,000 and ordered to pay a further £266,177 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 26th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Environmental lawyers fire warning to councils on legal risk of air pollution “inaction” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 26th, 2019 in environmental protection, local government, news, pollution by sally

‘Environmental law charity ClientEarth has warned 38 local authorities in England and Wales of the legal risk of inaction on air pollution.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 25th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government backs down over ‘myth-busting’ guide on child protection – The Guardian

‘The government has withdrawn a controversial document that claims some statutory protections for vulnerable children are “myths”, after a charity launched an application for judicial review, the Guardian has learned.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police and council acted unlawfully when using 1847 law to seize sheep – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 21st, 2019 in animals, compensation, confiscation, damages, local government, news, police by sally

‘A council and the police acted unlawfully when they used a Victorian law against a shepherd whose sheep had entered a village.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 21st March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

LGA warns on funding as modern slavery referrals made by councils rise tenfold in five years – Local Government Lawyer

‘The number of referrals of potential victims of modern slavery made by councils has soared tenfold in five years, the Local Government Association has warned.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 18th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tenants in England not being protected from revenge evictions, study finds – The Guardian

Posted March 18th, 2019 in complaints, landlord & tenant, local government, news, statistics by sally

‘Just one in 20 private tenants who complain to their council about poor living conditions gets protection from a revenge eviction by their landlord, according to figures released today.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Getting a policy wrong – Housing Act 2004 enforcement in Hull – Nearly Legal

‘There are many unfortunate ways for claimants to lose a judicial review. But being told that your challenge is based on you getting the policy you are challenging wrong is up there in the ‘somewhat embarrassing’ top 10.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 13th March 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Court of Protection should not summarily dismiss cases where liberty is at stake, says senior judge – Local Government Lawyer

‘Court of Protection judges should not summarily dismiss cases where someone’s liberty is at stake, Mr Justice Hayden, Vice President of the court, has said.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal blow for councils over business rates and empty properties – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 14th, 2019 in leases, local government, news, rates by sally

‘Councils may be left unable to claim some £10m in business rates after Rossendale Borough Council lost a test case in the Court of Appeal over empty properties.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 14th March 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Couple unable to sell home after discovering public footpath running though living room – The Independent

Posted March 14th, 2019 in footpaths, local government, news, rights of way, sale of land by sally

‘Couple unable to sell home after discovering public footpath running though living room.’

Full Story

The Independent, 13th March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judicial review of Heathrow airport third runway decision begins – The Guardian

‘Five judicial reviews challenging the legality of the government’s decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow airport have begun in the high court.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com