The President’s Call For Evidence – First Thoughts – Transparency Project

‘It was last May, not long after he had dealt with journalist and TP member Louise Tickle’s successful appeal against a wrongly imposed reporting restriction order, that the President of the Family Division announced he would be holding a ‘Transparency Review’.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 11th February 2020

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Fresh legal challenge threatened over changes at hospital amid claims of “unlawful” consultation – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 12th, 2020 in consultations, hospitals, judicial review, news, statutory duty by sally

‘A campaigner has threatened a fresh legal challenge after a consultation on proposed changes at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton did not include the option to maintain its accident and emergency department.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th February 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Why do some people fear change to e-scooter laws? – BBC News

Posted February 6th, 2020 in consultations, motorcycles, news, road safety, road traffic by sally

‘The government is to hold a consultation on the use of e-scooters, currently banned on public roads, pavements and cycle lanes. Campaigners have called for tighter regulations, but would people welcome a law change?’

Full Story

BBC News, 6th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Government launches public consultation on pre-charge bail – Home Office

‘New consultation aims to put the needs of victims first and ensure police are supported to investigate crimes.’

Full press release

Home Office, 5th February 2020

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education – The Guardian

Posted January 22nd, 2020 in children, consultations, education, families, news, parental rights, school children, Wales by sally

‘Parents in Wales will soon lose the right to withdraw their children from lessons on sex and relationships or religion, provoking concern among both church groups and secular campaigners.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Leasehold reform plans branded ‘nothing more than tinkering’ – The Guardian

Posted January 10th, 2020 in consultations, housing, human rights, Law Commission, leases, news, statute law revision by tracey

‘The Law Commission has set out a range of proposals which it said will make it cheaper for Britain’s 4 million leaseholders to buy their freehold or extend their lease. However, the reforms were immediately branded by campaigners as “nothing more than tinkering”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Proposals for changes to Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme “do not address fundamental issues of sustainability”: Law Society – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2020 in consultations, fees, housing, Ministry of Justice, news, repossession by sally

‘A Ministry of Justice consultation on proposed changes to the Housing Possession Court Duty Scheme (HPCDS) fails to address the fundamental issues of sustainability, the Law Society has claimed.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th January 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

“Over-lawyered” witness statements set for limited reform – Litigation Futures

Posted December 9th, 2019 in consultations, evidence, legal profession, news, statistics, witnesses by sally

‘Witness statements are “over-lawyered” and too long and argumentative, a Commercial Court working group has found, but it has shied away from recommending radical reform.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 9th December 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

ICO consults on new draft guidance on Subject Access Requests under GDPR – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 5th, 2019 in codes of practice, consultations, data protection, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The Information Commissioner has launched a consultation on new draft guidance for organisations on how to handle Subject Access Requests (SARs) under the GDPR.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 4th December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ghosh v Hanover Gate Mansions Ltd [2019] UKUT 290 (LC) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted December 4th, 2019 in agency, consultations, contracts, news, service charges by sally

‘A contract between a landlord and a managing agent was found to have come into existence when the performance of management services commenced and not on the date of the landlord’s payment for the services provided. In the circumstances, the particular contract was a qualifying long term agreement and the statutory consultation requirements under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 were applicable.’

Full Story

Tanfield Chambers, 29th November 2019

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Ripping the heart out of the Nomad Nation – Garden Court Chambers

Posted November 19th, 2019 in consultations, human rights, local government, news, police, travellers, trespass by sally

‘On 5 November 2019 the Home Office announced a consultation Strengthening police powers to tackle unauthorised encampments. This consultation follows an earlier consultation issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in April 2018 on the effectiveness of enforcement against unauthorised developments and encampments (see the MHCLG report in February 2019 following the consultation).’

Full Story

Garden Court Chambers, 18th November 2019

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Digital assets “are property” under English law – Legal Futures

Posted November 19th, 2019 in consultations, contracts, cryptocurrencies, electronic commerce, jurisdiction, news by sally

‘Blockchain and smart contracts were given a major boost towards becoming a standard method for securely storing and transferring cryptoassets yesterday, when the expert panel charged with giving the technology legal certainty decided they should be treated in principal as property.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Civil partnerships legislation – unfinished business – Law & Religion UK

The draft Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) Regulations 2019 (“the Regulations”) was the first item of the secondary legislation within the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act 2019 (“the Act”) to achieve the necessary approval of both Houses under the affirmative resolution procedure. It was also the last item of debated business before parliament was dissolved on 6 November. Through section 2(2) of the Act the regulations were subject to a “sunset clause” which required them to be in force by the end of December, and as such, only limited time was available for its scrutiny and approval; this left a number of items of unfinished business, and these are summarized below.

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 18th November 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Police oppose Traveller and Gypsy camp crackdown, FOI shows – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2019 in consultations, equality, human rights, news, police, travellers, trespass by tracey

‘Proposals to criminalise unauthorised Gypsy and Traveller encampments fly in the face of police recommendations to make more sites available to best tackle the situation, it has been revealed.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trustees of Sikh Temple charity fail in High Court challenge to traffic management order – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 11th, 2019 in charities, consultations, equality, local government, news, road traffic, Sikhism by sally

‘A High Court judge has rejected a legal challenge brought over the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s decision to make a traffic management order imposing additional parking restrictions in an area with a Sikh Temple.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 11th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Behind the curtain – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 8th, 2019 in consultations, elections, government departments, local government, news by tracey

‘As the general election kicks off, James Goudie QC highlights a 2017 High Court ruling on the status of “purdah” and the business that can and cannot be conducted while it applies.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government consults on new police powers to criminalise unauthorised encampments – Home Office

‘The government will launch a consultation on proposals to give police new powers to arrest and seize the property and vehicles of trespassers who set up unauthorised caravan sites.’

Full press release

Home Office, 3rd November 2019

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Concerns raised about Calderbank offers being used to assess litigation conduct – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Reservations have been expressed about plans to change the rules for determining costs at the end of family proceedings.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 5th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

President’s guidance as to reporting on family courts – Transparency Project

Posted November 4th, 2019 in consultations, family courts, news, reporting restrictions by sally

‘As part of the decision made by the President of the Family Division in the appeal by TP member, Louise Tickle in February, Sir Andrew McFarlane stated that guidance to courts would need to be issued to address the uncertainty that existed if a journalist or legal blogger entitled to attend court asked for leave to publish information from the hearing. Draft guidance was published in March, and following a consultation period the final version has now been issued. The Transparency Project responded to the consultation. The new guidance was published on the Judiciary website on 29th October, although it is dated 3rd October.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 1st November 2019

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

MoJ: No change to whiplash reform timetable – Legal Futures

‘The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is continuing to work towards April 2020 to implement the whiplash reforms despite the upcoming election, it has confirmed.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 1st November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk