Chicken farm row reaches High Court – BBC News

‘Campaigners will be taking on Shropshire Council in the High Court as a seven-year dispute over an industrial-scale chicken farm continues.’

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BBC News, 3rd october 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council left family in B&B accommodation for a year more than maximum allowed period: Ombudsman – Local Government Lawyer

‘Birmingham City Council placed a family in bed and breakfast accommodation for 58 weeks, one year more than the maximum time such accommodation can be used for homeless applicants with family commitments, the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has found.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman rejects complaint in case where complainant alleged she had lost £150k+ due to handling of planning applications – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 2nd, 2024 in complaints, enforcement, local government, news, ombudsmen, planning by tracey

‘A woman who complained to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman about a planning dispute she claims cost her £150,000 has been told the Ombudsman cannot investigate her complaint.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge says taxpayers’ cash ‘wasted’ on housing row – BBC News

Posted October 2nd, 2024 in dispute resolution, housing, local government, news by tracey

‘A stand-off between a council and a developer over a £12,000 bill could ultimately cost city taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds.’

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BBC News, 2nd October 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Care proceedings quicker with more disposals within 26 weeks: MoJ – Local Government Lawyer

‘The average time for public law care or supervision cases to reach first disposal was 41 weeks in April to June 2024, down 3 weeks from the same quarter in 2023, according to the latest data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Care leavers under 25, domestic abuse survivors and veterans to be exempt from social housing “local connection” rules – Local Government Lawyer

‘Care leavers under 25, domestic abuse survivors and all UK Armed Forces veterans are to be exempt from rules which require a connection to a local area before accessing social housing, the Government has announced.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

“Shocking” lack of urgency to trace children missing from education, Children’s Commissioner warns – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza, has warned that more than 11,500 children in England went missing from education over the course of one year, having “fallen off the radar” of their local authorities.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Tribunal orders council to release pay rise documents in “public interest” – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 26th, 2024 in BBC, freedom of information, local government, news, public interest, remuneration by sally

‘The First-tier Tribunal has ordered Cumberland Council to release documents relating to a decision to double councillors’ pay over an 11-month period, after it refused to provide information requested by the BBC.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman recommends council review triaging procedures for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards requests – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council at fault for depriving a woman of her liberty without an authorisation, and failing to involve her attorney in a best interests meeting to decide on a new placement.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Ombudsman upholds care home’s complaint about funding for resident – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 24th, 2024 in care homes, local government, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found Leicester City Council at fault in relation to a lack of funding support for a resident in a care home, finding that its actions led to a “financial shortfall” and a “missed opportunity to reduce the risk of harm to the Home residents”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The inquisitorial jurisdiction of the First-Tier Tribunal (HESC) – Local Government Lawyer

‘An Upper Tribunal judge has handed down an important ruling on the inquisitorial jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber) in relation to EHCPs. Benjamin Harrison sets out the key points.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Data protection prosecutions and employer liability – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 23rd, 2024 in data protection, employment, local government, news by tracey

‘Ibrahim Hasan considers the prosecution of employees for data protection offences and the potential liability of their employers.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Insolvency cover clarified – Peabody Trust v NHBC – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has clarified – in a case involving a social landlord – when a cause of action accrues under insurance policies providing contractor insolvency cover, and therefore when the limitation period begins. William O’Brien and Alicia Ogborn explains the ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landfill tax row will cost council £16m to settle – BBC News

Posted September 23rd, 2024 in HM Revenue & Customs, local government, news, taxation, Wales, waste by tracey

‘Wales’ biggest council has agreed to pay £16m to settle a bill over landfill tax dating back 10 years.’

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BBC News, 21st September 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Protests, human rights and criminal activity – Law Society’s Gazette

‘When are university and other protests impermissible? When ‘a protest turns into a base camp for criminal activity’, said Ritchie J on 19 June 2024, giving judgment in University of Birmingham v Persons Unknown (1) and Mariyah Ali (2) [2024] EWHC 1529 (KB). And while concerning a university, this is also relevant to local government.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th September 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Social worker awarded £55k and £8k costs after accusing council employer of discriminating against protected beliefs – Local Government Lawyer

‘A social worker who worked for Cambridgeshire County Council has been awarded more than £55,000 in compensation and £8,000 in costs, after asserting that she was discriminated against for reasons relating to her gender critical beliefs and/or sexual orientation.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Iraqi refugee wins legal battle to prove he was a child when he arrived in UK – The Guardian

‘A child refugee who fled Iraq has won a three-year legal battle to prove he was only 16 when he arrived undocumented in the UK, not eight to 10 years older, as British officials claimed, citing his facial hair and broad shoulders.’

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The Guardian, 18th September 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Woman fined over take-for-free cabinet left outside her home – BBC News

Posted September 17th, 2024 in fines, local government, news, waste by tracey

‘A woman has been handed a £500 fine for fly-tipping after leaving a cabinet for free collection outside her home.’

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BBC News, 17th September 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Recent orders for possession in University protest camp claims – implications for academic institutions – Local Government Lawyer

‘Joe Walker and Fred Groves provide an update on unauthorised pro-Palestinian protest encampments on university premises where many have refused to comply with demands to vacate.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Parents fail in High Court challenge to permanent exclusion of child from school – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has rejected a legal challenge brought by parents over a decision of the Governors Disciplinary Committee (GDC) of a school to uphold the decision of the headteacher to permanently exclude their child.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 16th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk