Children as young as four reprimanded for racist behaviour – Daily Telegraph

“The equivalent of around 100 primary school pupils a day were reported to local authorities after using offensive language in lessons and the playground, it is claimed. In some cases, pupils were reprimanded for relatively trivial squabbles and employing insults such as ‘gaylord’ and ‘broccoli head’. Researchers said many children – some as young as four – are being reported despite being ‘unlikely to understand the meaning of these words’. Schools are obliged to report all ‘hate speech’ incidents to local authorities as part of the 2000 Race Relations Act.”

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Daily Telegraph, 14th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Council ‘abusing law’ on travellers – The Independent

Posted September 14th, 2011 in housing, international law, local government, news, travellers by tracey

“A UN representative has accused a council of ‘violating international law’ over the clearance of the UK’s largest illegal travellers’ site.”

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The Independent, 14th September 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Localism Bill continues progress in the House of Lords – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 7th, 2011 in bills, housing, local government, news, planning by sally

“Laws which could create substantial new powers for local authorities could come one step closer to passing when the House of Lords considers all proposed amendments today.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th September 2011

Source: www.out-law.com

Squatters could be good for us all, says judge in empty homes ruling – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2011 in freedom of information, housing, local government, news, squatting, tribunals by sally

“Squatters are not criminals and could be good for society, a judge has ruled in ordering a London council to make public a list of empty homes in its area.”

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Daily Telegraph, 6th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Driver whose car was damaged by potholes wins £2,000 payout – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2011 in compensation, local government, news, road traffic by sally

“A driver whose car was damaged by potholes in Coventry has won a payout of £2,000 after taking the city council to court.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Dale Farm Travellers lose legal battle against eviction – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2011 in enforcement notices, local government, news, travellers by sally

“Lawyers for Travellers at Dale Farm have failed in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the eviction of families from the site.”

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The Guardian, 31st August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dale Farm travellers’ eviction: High Court appeal due – BBC News

“A severely ill traveller living on an illegal site in Essex is going to the High Court to try to stop a council evicting her and other residents.”

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BBC News, 31st August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Dale Farm Travellers prepare for imminent eviction battle – The Guardian

Posted August 30th, 2011 in enforcement notices, local government, news, repossession, travellers by sally

“UN warns of ‘grave breach of human rights’ if Travellers are forced to leave their homes as standoff over Essex site intensifies.”

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The Guardian, 26th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Anemometers, environmental information, and legal advice: the Planning Inspectorate’s duty to disclose? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 25th, 2011 in disclosure, freedom of information, local government, news, privilege by sally

“This interesting decision of the First-Tier Tribunal (not linked to this post, for reasons I shall explain below) goes to the circumstances in which a public authority can refuse under environmental information rules to disclose legal advice received by it.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 25th August 2011

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Regina (SL) v Westminster City Council (The Medical Foundation and another intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted August 15th, 2011 in asylum, law reports, local government, mental health, residential care by sally

Regina (SL) v Westminster City Council (The Medical Foundation and another intervening) [2011] EWCA Civ 954; [2011] WLR (D) 275

“On the true meaning of section 21(1)(a) of the National Assistance Act 1948, as amended, an asylum seeker suffering from depression and mental health difficulties who had been granted indefinite leave to remain was entitled to residential accommodation if the local authority had provided a programme of assistance and support to him through a care co-ordinator, since such provision of assistance would be otiose without the additional provision of housing.”

WLR Daily, 10th August 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Council eviction notice for Clapham Junction riot accused’s family – BBC News

Posted August 15th, 2011 in housing, local government, news, violent disorder by sally

“A London council is trying to evict a tenant whose son has appeared in court charged in connection with rioting and looting at Clapham Junction.”

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BBC News, 12th August 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Society welcomes amendment to Localism Bill – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 11th, 2011 in bills, local government, news, planning by sally

“The government has amended the Localism Bill, following Law Society warnings that a certain provision could have caused uncertainty in the property market.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 11th August 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Hull council failures left children at risk from mother’s violent partner – The Guardian

Posted August 9th, 2011 in children, domestic violence, local government, news, ombudsmen by sally

“Hull city council has been sharply criticised by the local government ombudsman over its ‘failures’ to act on complaints that children were in danger from their mother’s ‘mentally ill, violent’ partner.”

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The Guardian, 9th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Court of Protection case to be reported in real time after landmark legal ruling – The Guardian

“A son’s battle to care for his elderly father made legal history on Monday when a judge ruled that his case against the local authority could be reported in ‘real time’.”

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The Guardian, 8th August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sub-let fraudsters could be jailed – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2011 in fraud, housing, local government, news by sally

“Council tenants who sub-let their homes could be jailed under tough new laws being floated by the Government.”

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The Independent, 6th August 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Council sued for unmasking Twitter user – The Independent

Posted August 9th, 2011 in anonymity, defamation, internet, local government, news by sally

“The first Briton to have his Twitter identity forcibly revealed by a court is seeking to sue the council that blew his anonymity and force a judicial review of the case.”

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The Independent, 8th August 20111

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The localism bill hasn’t been subject to proper debate – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2011 in bills, housing, local government, news by sally

“It is certainly not a truism that legislation which is given the closest possible scrutiny is thereafter free from doubt – consider, for example, the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provsions) Act 1989, which we always used to call the mysterious provisions Act because nobody was quite sure what its ambit was (as has subsequently proved to be the case).”

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The Guardian, 2nd August 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Thomas and others v Bridgend County Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted July 28th, 2011 in appeals, human rights, law reports, local government, noise, roads, valuation by tracey

Thomas and others v Bridgend County Borough Council [2011] EWCA Civ 862;  [2011] WLR (D)  254

“For article 1 of the First Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms to be engaged, it was enough to show interference with peaceful enjoyment possessions combined with evidence of loss of value.”

WLR Daily, 26th July 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Library cuts challenge blocked – The Independent

Posted July 27th, 2011 in budgets, judicial review, libraries, local government, news by tracey

“Campaigners against library cuts have had their High Court challenge blocked. A judge ruled they had delayed too long in seeking judicial review of Isle of Wight proposals to stop funding five libraries on the island.”

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The Independent, 26th July 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council v Norton and others – WLR Daily

Posted July 22nd, 2011 in disability discrimination, housing, law reports, local government by sally

Barnsley Metroplitan Borough Councl v Norton and others [2011] EWCA Civ 834; [2011] WLR (D) 240

“The duty in section 49A(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was intended to apply whenever an authority was taking decisions such as a decision to seek possession of a disabled person’s home.”

WLR Daily, 21st July 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk