New minicab law ‘would put women at risk’ – The Independent

‘Ministers will come under fresh pressure this week not to ease rules on minicabs, a relaxation that safety campaigners say would endanger vulnerable women.’

Full story

The Independent, 19th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New dog laws: What pet owners need to know from today – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 20th, 2014 in complaints, dogs, fines, injunctions, local government, news, police, prosecutions by sally

‘A breakdown of the new legal powers police have to help prevent dog attacks.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph,

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Munchausen, MMR and mendacious “warrior mothers” – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A Local Authority and M (By his litigation friend via the Official Solicitor) v E and A (Respondents) [2014] EWCOP 33 (11 August 2014). And now the Court of Protection has published a ruling by Baker J that a a supporter of the discredited doctor Andrew Wakefield embarked on an odyssey of intrusive remedies and responses to her son’s disorder, fabricating claims of damage from immunisation, earning her membership of what science journalist Brian Deer calls the class of “Wakefield mothers.” ‘

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 15th October 2014

Source: http://ukhumanrightsblog.com

Dangerous dogs: tough new law to help prevent attacks – Home Office

Posted October 17th, 2014 in complaints, dogs, fines, local government, police, press releases, prosecutions by tracey

‘Tough new legal powers to help prevent thousands of dog attacks every year will be given to police forces and local authorities from Monday 20 October.’

Full press release

Home Office, 17th October 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Judge blasts Southwark Council for evicting Sudanese tenant and destroying all of his possessions – The Independent

Posted October 16th, 2014 in damages, housing, local government, news, repossession by sally

‘Housing officers conspired to unlawfully evict a Sudanese refugee from his council flat and destroy his possessions, including memory sticks holding thousands of hours of work, before then covering up their wrongdoing, a judge has ruled.’

Full story

The Independent, 16th October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Adjudication ordered in £1.3m dispute between council and solar energy business – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 13th, 2014 in contracts, damages, dispute resolution, energy, local government, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has ordered that a local authority’s bid to recoup £1.3m from a solar energy installation company be determined by adjudication, rather than by litigation as desired by the council.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Adoption and access to family history – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 13th, 2014 in adoption, confidentiality, disclosure, families, local government, news by sally

‘Life is a mysterious journey, often attended with hazards matching those in The Lord of the Rings. However, as TV programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are? illustrate, we all have a deep need to understand our place in the world and how we came to inhabit our own ‘mortal coil’. This can be particularly poignant for adopted people and their successors.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th October 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Denial of legal aid in Court of Protection cases “a false economy”, says judge – Local Government Lawyer

‘Denying individuals legal aid for complex Court of Protection cases is a false economy, a High Court judge has warned.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 8th October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

European Convention on Human Rights: What has it ever done for us? – The Independent

‘As the Tories attempt to dilute the treaty’s authority in the UK, James Cusick takes a look at the difference it has made.’

Full story

The Independent, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revised transparency code for local government in England in force next month – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 6th, 2014 in budgets, codes of practice, disclosure, local government, news, parking by sally

‘A revised Local Government Transparency Code is to come into force in England next month, the Department for Communities and Local Government has announced.’

Full story

Local Government, 3rd October 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council’s decision to close elderly care home not unlawful – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 3rd, 2014 in care homes, equality, human rights, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

‘Karia, R (on the application of) v Leicester City Council (Sir Stephen Silber, acting as High Court Judge) [2014] EWHC 3105 (Admin) (30 September 2014. In a robust judgment Sir Stephen Silber has asserted that neither the ordinary laws of judicial review, nor the Equality Act nor the Human Rights Act require the courts to micro-manage the decisions of public authorities. Indeed the latter two statutory powers are not designed as a back door into a merits review of a decision that is restricted to the court’s review of the legality of a public sector decision.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 2nd October 2014

Source: http://ukhumanrightsblog.com

Council defeats claim brought on behalf of 101 year old over care home closure – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 1st, 2014 in care homes, elderly, equality, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

‘A city council has successfully defended a High Court challenge brought on behalf of a 101-year-old resident over its decision to close her care home.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th Spetember 2014

Source:  www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Top town hall lawyer who praised Hitler keeps his job – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 30th, 2014 in employment tribunals, local government, news, race discrimination, solicitors by tracey

‘A top town hall lawyer is to keep his job despite praising Hitler, winning the nickname “Piggy Eyes” because of the way he ogled women, and making up “inappropriate” nicknames for staff.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 29th September 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court of Protection judge slams council for depriving autistic woman of her liberty – Local Government Lawyer

‘A judge has accused a county council of “a systemic failure” in a strongly-worded ruling in which he found the authority to have wrongfully deprived a 19-year-old autistic woman of her liberty and breached her human rights.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 24th September 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Drivers may be able to reclaim millions in unfair parking fines – The Independent

‘Motorists could demand the refund of more than £100m in parking fines, after what experts described as an “explosive” tribunal ruling left local government traffic officials in “absolute panic”.’

Full story

The Independent, 21st September 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Employment lawyers blast draft law on recovery of public sector exit payments – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 19th, 2014 in bills, consultations, employment, local government, news, remuneration by tracey

‘Planned Government legislation to claw back exit payments from high-earning public sector staff if they get another job within 12 months is “unclear and ill-conceived”, the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) has warned.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 18th September 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Gloucester cellar sex attack ‘not preventable’ – BBC News

‘A sex attack by two teenagers on a boy in a cellar in Gloucester could not have been anticipated or prevented, a report has found.’

Full story

BBC News, 18th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

DCLG opens technical consultation on house building standards – OUT- LAW.com

‘The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) opened a consultation last week on a series of proposed changes to the existing system of housing standards, which seek to reduce and simplify the rules house builders must comply with.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 15th September 2014

Source: www.out-law.com

Victims’ Rights, the EU Charter, and Passport Confiscation – the Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In recent news, the government outlines proposals for increased rights for the victims of crime, as well as for the revocation and confiscation of passports for ISIS fighters returning to the UK. In other news, the legality of the EU Charter comes back to haunt Chris Grayling once again.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 15th September 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Children’s care homes abuse claims increase to 13 – BBC News

‘An investigation into abuse at a children’s care home has been widened to include other establishments.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th September 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk