Councils using CCTV to fine motorists for parking to be made illegal – The Independent

Posted September 27th, 2013 in closed circuit television, evidence, fines, local government, news, parking by tracey

“Councils in England could be banned from using CCTV cameras and ‘spy cars’ to hand motorists parking fines under new government proposals.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Use of anti-littering powers to tackle spitting survives magistrates test – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 26th, 2013 in costs, fines, litter, local government, news by sally

“Magistrates last week upheld a London borough’s bid to tackle spitting in the street through powers normally used to enforce against litter.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Council to pay out after housing families in B&Bs for longer than six weeks – Local Government Lawyer

“A local authority is set to pay out thousands of pounds after it housed 40 homeless families in bed and breakfast accommodation for longer than the recommended limit of six weeks.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 24th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge quashes “exclusive” golf course decision- and why we need judicial review – UK Human Rights Blog

“This is a successful judicial review of the grant of planning permission to a proposed new golf club in leafy Surrey – where one central issue was whether, in planning policy terms, there was a ‘need’ for the club. The local planning officers had advised the council against the proposal, but the members voted in favour of it (just), hence this challenge. It succeeded on grounds including perversity, which is pretty rare, especially in the planning context, but, when one looks at the judgment, you can readily see why the judge concluded as he did. ”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Changing rooms – NearlyLegal

“The bedroom tax First Tier Tribunal decisions are coming in now. And they are intriguing. In some ways, not a surprise, in others somewhat opaque. As well as the first Fife decision, there are another four Fife decisions that I’ve now seen, and a rather frustrating one from Westminster.”

Full story

NearlyLegal, 24th September 2013

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Legal aid residence test ‘will just shift cost to council taxpayers’ – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2013 in children, homelessness, legal aid, local government, news, reports by sally

“Introducing a proposed residence test for legal aid will lead to local authorities paying tens of millions of pounds to support children in care and prevent increased homelessness, campaigners have warned the Ministry of Justice.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court adjourns eviction proceedings against fracking protestors due to “flawed” application – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 20th, 2013 in demonstrations, energy, fracking, local government, news, repossession by sally

“The High Court has suspended eviction proceedings against anti-fracking protestors at a West Sussex site, saying that the council had not taken their right to freedom of assembly into account.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 19th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Many councils still ‘inadequate’ on child protection – BBC News

Posted September 19th, 2013 in children, local government, news, social services by sally

“One-third of councils previously judged by inspectors to have child protection weaknesses are still failing to meet minimum requirements, figures show.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council staff face action after report into care of woman left to starve – The Guardian

“Two council workers have been suspended and face further disciplinary action following a report that found officials had failed to care for an 81-year-old woman who died after being left without food or medication for nine days.”

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The Guardian, 16th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council wins appeal over job titles of attendees at law firm meeting – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 16th, 2013 in appeals, contracting out, data protection, disclosure, local government, news, privacy by tracey

“A council has won an appeal over whether it was required – following an FOI request – to disclose the job titles of junior officers attending a meeting at a law firm to discuss a major outsourcing project.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Hillsborough: police, FA, council and club could face manslaughter charges – The Guardian

Posted September 12th, 2013 in health & safety, homicide, inquiries, local government, negligence, news, police, sport by tracey

“Manslaughter charges could be brought against the South Yorkshire police force and senior officers on duty when 96 people died at the Hillsborough football stadium on 15 April 1989, according to the senior detective leading a new criminal investigation into the disaster.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High Court quashes 116-home St Albans scheme refusal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted September 10th, 2013 in housing, local government, news, planning by tracey

“A Planning Inspector was wrong to use Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) figures as a base for a Council’s projected housing need, a High Court judge has ruled.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 9th September 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Councils seeks judicial review of mayor’s rent plan – BBC News

Posted September 9th, 2013 in housing, judicial review, local government, news, rent by tracey

“Four councils are taking legal advice to challenge Mayor Boris Johnson’s decision by which affordable rents can be set at up to 80% of market prices.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Cherkley Campaign Ltd) v Mole Valley District Council – WLR Daily

Regina (Cherkley Campaign Ltd) v Mole Valley District Council [2013] EWHC 2582 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 340

“A direction given by the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 saving specified policies had the effect of also preserving supporting text including the reasoned justification for each policy and descriptive or explanatory material.”

WLR Daily, 22nd August 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

ICO warns councils over home working by social services employees – Local Government Lawyer

“A city council has been fined £100,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office after information on social services involvement with a number of individuals was published online.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 30th August 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New term, new approach to social care costs in SEN appeals – Education Law Blog

Posted September 2nd, 2013 in budgets, education, local government, news, special educational needs, tribunals by sally

“We’re back to school with a bang with the decision of the Upper Tribunal in WH v Warrington BC [2013] UKUT 0391 (AAC) where Judge Williams declined to follow O v Lewisham [2007] EWHC 2130 (Admin) and instead held that the only relevant “public expenditure” for the purposes of section 9 of the Education Act 1996 is that which comes out of the local authority’s education budget.”

Full story

Education Law Blog, 1st September 2013

Source: www.education11kbw.com

High Court ruling clouds tough line on relief from sanctions – Litigation Futures

Posted August 30th, 2013 in compensation, complaints, local government, news, notification, ombudsmen, planning by sally

“The new rule on relief from sanctions should not be applied so strictly that a refusal would be disproportionate and give the defendants an unjustified windfall, the High Court has ruled.”

Full story

Litigation Futures, 29th August 2013

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

‘Hidden’ personal data disclosures in FOI responses results in £70,000 London council fine – OUT-LAW.com

“A local authority in London has been fined £70,000 after mistakenly disclosing sensitive personal information about more than 2,000 people in response to a freedom of information (FOI) request.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th August 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Ofsted and council staff criticised in review into rape of toddler by paedophile nursery worker – The Independent

Posted August 28th, 2013 in child abuse, codes of practice, local government, news, reports, standards by sally

“A review into the rape of a toddler by a paedophile nursery worker has criticised Ofsted and council staff, who were aware that he had a ‘special relationship’ with the child but did not investigate it
properly.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

ICO wrong to impose £250k fine on council for data breach, tribunal rules – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 23rd, 2013 in appeals, data protection, fines, local government, news, tribunals, waste by sally

“The Information Commissioner’s Office should not have imposed a £250,000 fine on Scottish Borders Council for a data breach, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has ruled.”

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 22nd August 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk