Council wins injunction against duo to prevent disclosure of school information – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 12th, 2017 in confidentiality, disclosure, education, injunctions, local government, media, news by tracey

‘The London Borough of Croydon has secured an injunction to prevent a former headteacher and an educational advocate from disclosing information about a school that it considers confidential.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

R (Davey) v Oxfordshire CC in the Court of Appeal – Community Care Blog

‘Last Friday the Court of Appeal delivered judgment in R (Davey) v Oxfordshire CC [2017] EWCA Civ 1308. This is the first time the Court of Appeal has examined the provisions of the Care Act 2014.’

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Community Care Blog, 7th September 2017

Source: communitycare11kbw.com

Ombudsman criticises council for errors in children’s complaints handling – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 8th, 2017 in community care, complaints, learning difficulties, local government, news, reasons by tracey

‘The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has criticised a London borough after two brothers with learning difficulties saw their care and support packages reduced without their mother being told why.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 7th September 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rotherham child sex abuse scandal: No charges to be brought against senior council figures despite ‘cock-up’ – The Independent

Posted September 7th, 2017 in local government, news, prosecutions, reports, sexual offences by tracey

‘Report finds there were “substantial organisational failings” but author says it was more “cock up than conspiracy.”‘

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The Independent, 6th September 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

London borough finds interim placement for teenager after judicial criticism – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 6th, 2017 in care orders, children, local government, mental health, news by sally

‘Southwark Council has now said it has found an interim placement for a troubled teenager after criticism from a judge.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal finds for council in first appeal on Care Act 2014 provisions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 5th, 2017 in appeals, disabled persons, local government, news, social services by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a severely disabled man’s appeal over a decision by a county council to reduce his personal budget from £1,651 per week to £950 per week and to revise his care and support plan.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th September 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Councils to be banned by ministers from using bin fines as means to generate income – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 5th, 2017 in anti-social behaviour, fines, local government, news, waste by sally

‘Councils are to be banned from using bin fines “as a means to generate income” after it emerged that families are risking large penalties and criminal records if they put out overflowing bins.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Court summons social services director over accommodation failure – Local Government Lawyer

‘The London Borough of Southwark’s social services director has been ordered to appear before a judge after the council could find no suitable accommodation available for a teenager described as “troubled and dangerous”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Campaigners launch last-ditch appeal to stop fracking in Lancashire – The Guardian

Posted August 30th, 2017 in appeals, environmental protection, fracking, local government, news, planning by sally

‘A last-ditch legal challenge to prevent fracking in Lancashire is being launched at the court of appeal.’

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The Guardian, 29th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Taxi laws need updating to tackle child sexual abuse, say councils – The Guardian

‘Taxi laws need urgently updating to combat child sexual exploitation, councils have warned.’

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The Guardian, 25th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children: Public Law Update (August 2017) – Family Law Week

‘John Tughan QC of 4 Paper Buildings reviews a range of recent important public law cases.’

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Family Law Week, 9th August 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Ombudsman slams lack of oversight of outsourced waste collection services – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 23rd, 2017 in complaints, contracting out, local government, news, ombudsmen, reports, waste by sally

‘Insufficient oversight of external contractors is one of the main issues behind a rising number of complaints about waste collection, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has said.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court approves £10k settlement over delays in providing sex education – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Protection has approved a £10,000 damages settlement plus costs to a man with Down’s Syndrome and an associated learning difficulty over delays in the provision of sex education.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 22nd August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rotherham abuse: Whistleblower investigation ‘examined’ – BBC News

‘The handling of an investigation into the woman who first revealed the child sexual abuse scandal in Rotherham is to be examined, the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme has learned.’

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BBC News, 23rd August 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Bucknall v Dacorum Borough Council – Arden Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in housing, local government, news, notification, regulations, repossession by sally

‘The High Court has held that it is a question of fact whether accommodation occupied after the acceptance of a full housing duty under s.193(2), Housing Act 1996, but which was initially provided to the applicant under s.188, is a “dwelling” for the purposes of ss.3 and 5, Protection from Eviction Act 1977. In the present case, the appellant occupied the property as a dwelling and the notice to quit served on her was invalid because it did not contain the information prescribed by the Notices to Quit etc. (Prescribed Information) Regulations 1988 (SI 1988/2201).’

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Arden Chambers, 10th August 2017

Source: www.ardenchambers.com

Old problem, new solution: local councils look to preserve their green spaces from incursion and illegal fly tipping – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in commons, injunctions, local government, news, travellers, waste by sally

‘There are few local authorities in the country that haven’t experienced the enormous difficulties inherent in people setting up camp illegally in local parks and green spaces with their mobile homes and caravans, horses and dogs then leaving the area (voluntarily or otherwise) and landing the authority with an expensive bill for cleaning up.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 26th July 2017

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Lettings agency to pay £20k-plus after prosecution over sham licences – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in compensation, costs, fines, fraud, landlord & tenant, licensing, local government, news by sally

‘A lettings agency has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 in fines, compensation and costs after issuing ‘sham licences’ to renters and using a letting agency association logo when it was not a member, in what is thought to be the first prosecution of its kind in England.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Field Reports: R (St John College Cambridge) v Cambridgeshire County Council [2017] EWHC 1753 (Admin) – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 22nd, 2017 in commons, local government, news, universities by sally

‘The case concerns claims under s15 Commons Act (2006) for town and village greens and the scope for applicants to amend a defective application under Regulation 5(4) of the Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) (Interim Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2007 (‘the 2007 Regulations’), so that it is duly made. This can be crucial (as in this case) in determining whether an application has been made within the period of grace allowable under the Commons Act, or is effectively time barred.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 21st July 2017

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Overcoming the hurdles – Tanfield Chambers

Posted August 21st, 2017 in fire, health & safety, housing, local government, news by sally

‘The recent tragedy at Grenfell Tower in west London has brought into sharp focus the importance of having adequate fire safety in large blocks of flats. There has been much public debate about landlords cutting corners with fire protection or failing to retro-fit sprinklers. There are now calls for landlords to be required to bring older blocks up to modern standards of fire protection. This is an imperative but there are obstacles to achieving it. This article examines the legal and financial hurdles that landlords face in bringing their blocks up to an acceptable standard and proposes legislative reform to bring about the much needed works quickly.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 25th July 2017

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Police and council agree payouts for victims of child sexual exploitation – Local Government Lawyer

‘Victims of the Rotherham child sexual exploitation abuse scandal have started to receive compensation jointly from South Yorkshire Police and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 18th August 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk