Claimant who sued council over bogus highway accident guilty of contempt – Local Government Lawyer

‘A man who sued Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council for £10,000, claiming he was injured after tripping in a hole in the payment, has been found guilty of contempt of court and jailed for four months.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Oliver Butler: The Data Protection Bill and Public Authority Powers to Process Personal Data: Resurrecting Clause 152 of the Coroners and Justice Bill 2009? – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 28th, 2017 in bills, data protection, EC law, local government, news, public interest by sally

‘The Data Protection Bill currently before Parliament substantially resurrects the controversial clause 152 of the Coroners and Justice Bill 2009. Careful scrutiny of this provision is needed and it must not be lost in the legislative morass as the UK grapples with data protection reform.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 28th September 2017

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Javier Garcia Oliva: Why the Constitutional Treatment of Religion in Great Britain Matters in Religious Disputes – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘Two high profile cases concerning the approach of public authorities towards religion and identity, where the care and future of looked after children were concerned, have featured this summer.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 26th September 2017

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

Judge rules council and CCG not required to fund visits of mother – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 22nd, 2017 in expenses, local government, mental health, news, statutory duty by sally

‘Central Bedfordshire Council and North Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group need not meet the travelling expenses of a woman who makes a lengthy weekly trip to see her son in a mental hospital.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Birmingham refuse collectors win high court case against city council – The Guardian

Posted September 22nd, 2017 in industrial action, injunctions, local government, news, redundancy, waste by sally

‘Birmingham’s long-running bin strike has been suspended following a high court injunction preventing the city council from making refuse workers redundant.’

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The Guardian, 20th September 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court rejects legal challenge to urban extension – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 22nd, 2017 in EC law, judicial review, local government, news, planning, pollution by sally

‘Two campaigners have failed to win permission from the High Court for judicial review of a planned urban extension to Canterbury on air quality grounds.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ministers to tighten disqualification criteria for councillors and mayors – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 21st, 2017 in consultations, criminal records, disqualification, local government, news by sally

‘Individuals who are given an anti-social behaviour injunction or a criminal behaviour order or who are added to the sex offenders’ register will no longer be able to be a councillor or elected mayor, under reforms put out to consultation this week.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ofsted reports on the inspection of services for children living with domestic abuse – Family Law

‘Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, and HM Inspectorate of Probation have published a report examining the multi-agency response to children living with domestic abuse, along with inspections of local area services.’

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Family Law, 20th September 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Judge blasts lack of therapy for mother faced with losing second child – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 19th, 2017 in adoption, care orders, local government, mental health, news, social services by sally

‘A Family Court judge has questioned the spending of money on the issuing of legal proceedings and on psychological evidence when this expenditure is incurred before attempts have been made at therapeutic support, in a case where a vulnerable mother was faced with the loss of a second child to adoption.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council wins test appeal case against lettings agency ‘administration fees’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 19th, 2017 in appeals, fees, landlord & tenant, local government, news, tribunals by sally

‘Camden Council has successfully appealed to the Upper Tribunal against a leading estate agency, Foxtons, using the term “administration fees” in their lettings agency work.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman upholds third complaint against council over support for boy with SEN – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised a London borough over repeated failures in relation to a boy with special educational needs, in a case where at one stage a council decision-making may have acted illegally when it withdrew support.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council agrees to pay grandmother four years of backdated foster care payments – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 15th, 2017 in fostering, local government, news, ombudsmen, remuneration by sally

‘The Royal Borough of Greenwich has agreed to pay a grandmother four years of backdated foster carer payments, following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. The LGO said the case should serve as a reminder to councils of their duties towards friends and family foster carers.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judges order fresh hearing in row over damage caused by protected tree – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 13th, 2017 in appeals, compensation, local government, news, trees, tribunals by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) must reconsider a case in which it awarded compensation of £25,000 against South Gloucestershire Council over damage caused by an oak made subject to a tree preservation order (TPO), the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council wins injunction against duo to prevent disclosure of school information – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 12th, 2017 in confidentiality, disclosure, education, injunctions, local government, media, news by sally

‘The London Borough of Croydon has secured an injunction to prevent a former headteacher and an educational advocate from disclosing information about a school that it considers confidential.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

R (Davey) v Oxfordshire CC in the Court of Appeal – Community Care Blog

‘Last Friday the Court of Appeal delivered judgment in R (Davey) v Oxfordshire CC [2017] EWCA Civ 1308. This is the first time the Court of Appeal has examined the provisions of the Care Act 2014.’

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Community Care Blog, 7th September 2017

Source: communitycare11kbw.com

Ombudsman criticises council for errors in children’s complaints handling – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 8th, 2017 in community care, complaints, learning difficulties, local government, news, reasons by sally

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has criticised a London borough after two brothers with learning difficulties saw their care and support packages reduced without their mother being told why.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rotherham child sex abuse scandal: No charges to be brought against senior council figures despite ‘cock-up’ – The Independent

Posted September 7th, 2017 in local government, news, prosecutions, reports, sexual offences by sally

‘Report finds there were “substantial organisational failings” but author says it was more “cock up than conspiracy.”‘

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The Independent, 6th September 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

London borough finds interim placement for teenager after judicial criticism – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 6th, 2017 in care orders, children, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘Southwark Council has now said it has found an interim placement for a troubled teenager after criticism from a judge.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal finds for council in first appeal on Care Act 2014 provisions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 5th, 2017 in appeals, disabled persons, local government, news, social services by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a severely disabled man’s appeal over a decision by a county council to reduce his personal budget from £1,651 per week to £950 per week and to revise his care and support plan.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Councils to be banned by ministers from using bin fines as means to generate income – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 5th, 2017 in anti-social behaviour, fines, local government, news, waste by sally

‘Councils are to be banned from using bin fines “as a means to generate income” after it emerged that families are risking large penalties and criminal records if they put out overflowing bins.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk