Academy trust facing legal challenge over award of £2m software contract – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 16th, 2020 in computer programs, contracts, local government, news, public procurement by sally

‘A large academy school trust faces litigation from a firm that lost out in the award of an IT contract.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tell me why – ‘Minded to’ letters and reasons – Nearly Legal

Posted October 12th, 2020 in appeals, homelessness, housing, local government, news, notification by sally

‘This was a section 204 Housing Act 1996 appeal following Lambeth’s review decision that Ms S had made herself intentionally homeless. This was the trial of a preliminary issue concerning Lambeth’s “minded to” decision letter sent during the course of the review.’

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Nearly Legal, 11th October 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

London borough wins High Court battle over community centre ownership – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 7th, 2020 in injunctions, local government, London, news, planning by sally

‘Brent Council has won a High Court dispute over the ownership of a community centre site and secured an injunction restraining the defendants from making any applications to register a restriction against the property.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council hit with costs order after Court of Protection judge finds it failed autistic 18 year old – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2020 in autism, care orders, costs, Court of Protection, local government, news by sally

‘A Court of Protection judge has ordered Shropshire Council to pay the costs of the Official Solicitor and a father after finding that the local authority had failed an 18 year old man (ND) with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Grenfell victim’s family aims to force change to evacuation rules for disabled people – The Guardian

‘The family of a disabled woman who died trapped in Grenfell Tower is taking legal action against the government to force high-rise owners to make evacuation plans for every disabled resident. Sakina Afrasehabi, who had severe arthritis and walked with a frame, died on the 18th floor in the June 2017 blaze at the age of 65. Now her family want a judicial review of government proposals, arising from the disaster, that personal evacuation plans should only apply for people in buildings considered at immediate fire risk.’

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The Guardian, 5th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Data protection challenges of remote working – Local Government Lawyer

‘Samantha Smith looks at how organisations can handle the data protection challenges of remote working.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Court of Protection, s.48 and interim orders – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 2nd, 2020 in care homes, consent, Court of Protection, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘Lee Parkhill analyses an important Court of Protection ruling on s. 48 of the Mental Capacity Act and interim orders.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Repairs, renewals and ‘like for like’ – Nearly Legal

Posted October 1st, 2020 in landlord & tenant, local government, news, repairs, service charges by sally

‘A rather odd Upper Tribunal appeal of an FTT decision as to whether the costs of a new roof to parts of a block of flats would be recoverable under the service charge.. which takes us into the nature of a repair or renewal and how far it needs to be ‘like for like’ or whether it simply needs to be such as to make the property ‘reasonably fit for occupation’.’

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Nearly Legal, 30th September 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

New Covid fines of up to £10,000 come into force in England – The Guardian

‘A new, more robust chapter in English coronavirus regulations begins on Monday, with fines of up to £10,000 for people who refuse to self-isolate when asked, and enforcement including tip-offs from people who believe that others are breaching the rules.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Report raises alarm over police detention of vulnerable suspects in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘Police officers detained and interviewed hundreds of thousands of vulnerable suspects last year in England and Wales in breach of mandatory safeguards, according to the body that sets standards for those who support vulnerable adults in police custody.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge quashes s.17 Children Act assessment made by council – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 25th, 2020 in children, families, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, London, news by sally

‘A judge has strongly criticised a London borough over its handling of the assessment of a family’s accommodation needs.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Larger local authorities face reporting requirement on steps taken to prevent modern slavery – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 25th, 2020 in enforcement, forced labour, local government, news by sally

‘The Government is to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to require larger local authorities and other public bodies and businesses to take action against modern slavery risks in their supply chains.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council to pursue Crown Court appeal over ruling that ex-policeman convicted of child abduction should be granted taxi licence – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 24th, 2020 in children, kidnapping, licensing, local government, news, taxis by sally

‘Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has lodged an appeal with Liverpool Crown Court over whether a former policeman convicted 14 years ago of abducting a 15-year-old girl should be granted a taxi driver licence.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge orders placement for adoption for three children amid extreme over-reaction of parents to involvement of professionals – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 23rd, 2020 in adoption, care orders, children, deceit, families, judges, local government, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has ordered that three children be placed for adoption after calling their mother “the most egregious liar I have ever encountered”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Public law children case update: contact, nationality and stays – Local Government Lawyer

‘Georgina Dalton summarises the latest public law children rulings, covering issues such as contact during care, changing the nationality of children in care, and practice on granting short-term stays.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court allows appeal by claimant after council bids to withdraw admissions of liability in failure to remove case – Local Government Lawyer

‘An unnamed South Wales local authority has been stopped by the High Court from withdrawing three admissions of lability made in a lengthy dispute over the care while a child of J, who is now aged 20 and seeks damages.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Homelessness application: Interim relief, suitability and housing benefit – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2020 in benefits, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news by sally

‘Clare Cullen considers a recent High Court decision to adjourn a case considering the suitability of interim accommodation where further information was required.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The NPPF and “out-of-date” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2020 in appeals, housing, interpretation, local government, news, planning by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has handed down a judgment on the meaning of “out-of-date” in paragraph 11(d) in the National Planning Policy Framework. Matthew Fraser sets out the key points.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th September 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

How warnings about Heni and Jan’s killer were missed – BBC News

‘The bodies of Henriett Szucs and Mihrican Mustafa were discovered in the east London flat of Zahid Younis in April 2019. The BBC has investigated how the authorities cared for the women and dealt with their killer Younis – a convicted sex offender who has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 38 years.’

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BBC News, 3rd September 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ban on evictions and notice periods extended in Government u-turn – St Ives Chambers

‘The stay imposed on possession proceedings was due to expire on Sunday 23 August 2020. However, in an 11th hour u-turn, Robert Jenrick announced on Friday afternoon that the ban on evictions would be extended for a further 4 weeks (taking the total ban to 6 months) in England and Wales. In a further, unforeseen twist, it was announced that a new 6 month notice period would be in place until at least 31 March 2021 (this applies to England only) in all matters save for “serious cases”, examples of which are anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse.’

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St Ives Chambers, 21st August 2020

Source: www.stiveschambers.co.uk