Coronavirus: 14,000 lockdown-breach fines imposed – BBC News
‘Police in England and Wales have issued more than 14,000 fines for alleged breaches of lockdown laws.’
BBC News, 15th May 2020
Source: www.bbc.com
Category: London
Mayor of London loses statutory challenge over permission for substantial development at top private school – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Mayor of London has failed in a challenge by statutory review to a decision of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to allow an appeal by Harrow School against refusal of planning permission for a substantial development.’
Local Government Lawyer, 14th May 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
The Mayor and Commonality and Citizens of the City of London v Various Leaseholders of Great Arthur House [2019] UKUT 341 (LC) – Tanfield Chambers
‘The Upper Tribunal determined, by reference to the interpretation of the specific terms of various “Right to Buy” leases, whether the leaseholders were liable to contribute to the landlord’s costs of repairing structural defects.’
Tanfield Chambers, 2nd April 2020
Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk
London borough launches challenge to grant of planning permission by Secretary of State for 1,500-home scheme – Local Government Lawyer
‘The London Borough of Tower Hamlets last week launched a legal challenge to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s decision to grant planning permission for the Westferry Printworks site.’
Local Government Lawyer, 23rd March 2020
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Kensington Forum Judicial Review Succeeds: High Court Quashes Permission for Tallest Building in Kensington after Mayor Forced to Admit the Decision was Taken for an Improper Purpose – Francis Taylor Building
‘On 21 June 2019, the Mayor of London granted planning permission for a significant and controversial development, on land at the Kensington Forum Hotel, 97-109 Cromwell Road, London, SW7 4DN. The scheme, designed by Simpson Haugh, included a 30 storey tower, which would have been the tallest in Kensington, and provided a 749 bed hotel and 402 residential units in South Kensington. However, following a judicial review brought by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the High Court has quashed the planning permission, after the Mayor of London conceded that the decision to grant the permission was motivated by an improper purpose; namely frustrating the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government.’
Francis Taylor Building, 16th March 2020
Source: www.ftbchambers.co.uk
Watchdog rejects Met’s claim that he supported facial recognition – The Guardian
‘The official biometrics commissioner has rebuked the Metropolitan police after it falsely claimed that he supported its use of facial recognition CCTV in an equalities impact assessment published as the force made its first operational use of the controversial technology.’
The Guardian, 12th February 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Number of slavery victims in London up tenfold in five years – The Guardian
‘There has been a more than tenfold increase in the number of people identified as victims of modern slavery and human trafficking in London, and more than 30% of all cases nationally are discovered in the capital, according to new research.’
The Guardian, 30th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
London council’s special needs inquiry caused by ‘systemic failures’ – BBC News
‘At least 5,000 children seeking special educational needs support (Send) are to have their cases reviewed after a London council landed a stinging rebuke from the local government ombudsman. Concerns about “systemic failures” in Richmond’s Send department prompted the watchdog to take the highly unusual step of ordering the full-scale audit.’
BBC News, 17th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Half of London’s knife killers had previous convictions for possessing blades, new stats show – Daily Telegraph
‘Half of London’s knife killers had previous convictions for possessing blades, new figures have shown as the capital’s “half-hearted” approach has been blamed.’
Daily Telegraph, 12th January 2020
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Half of those charged with knife murders had committed similar offences – The Guardian
‘Almost half of people charged with knife killings in London over the past three years had previously committed an offence involving a blade, Metropolitan police figures suggest.’
The Guardian, 13th January 2020
Source: www.theguardian.com
Call for law change over increase in homophobic hate crimes in London – BBC News
‘Homophobic hate crimes in London have increased by 55% in five years, prompting calls for changes to the law. Latest figures show there were 3,111 hate crimes based on sexual orientation in the 12 months up to October. Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate for mayor of London, called for new laws and tougher sentencing for homophobic attacks.’
BBC News, 10th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Homicides fall for first time in five years across UK despite London rise – BBC News
‘The number of people killed across the UK fell in 2019 for the first time in five years, BBC research suggests.’
BBC News, 8th January 2020
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Camden Council obtains first rogue landlord banning order in London – Local Government Lawyer
‘Camden Council is reported to have obtained London’s first rogue landlord banning order against a man who repeatedly placed tenants’ lives at risk through letting unsafe housing.’
Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2019
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
Bart Casella writes about Unexplained Wealth Orders and changes to applications for Account Freezing Orders – 23 Essex Street
‘Before UWOs came into force on 31 January 2018, I provided seminars to solicitors on the potentially far reaching effects that the orders could have, including on mortgagees and trustees of property held by individuals who qualified for an order or in relation to enforcement by HMRC in respect of inappropriate tax planning. The reality is that the investigating authorities in the UK have thus far concentrated on the ‘low hanging fruit’.’
23 Essex Street, 4th November 2019
Source: www.23es.com
Extinction Rebellion London Ban: What Is A Section 14 Order And Is It Lawful? – Rights Info
‘Police have banned climate campaigners Extinction Rebellion (XR) from protesting in London, a move that human rights groups have condemned as “chilling”. What power does the police have to do this, and is it lawful? RightsInfo explores.’
Rights Info, 15th October 2019
Source: rightsinfo.org
More police officers to be armed with Tasers in London – The Independent
‘More police officers in London are to be armed with Tasers following calls for the weapons to be rolled out for their own protection, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has said.’
The Independent, 17th september 2019
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Only 3% of rape claims in London result in convictions, study says – The Guardian
‘Only 3% of rape allegations in London result in convictions, a study has found, prompting the capital’s victims’ commissioner to call for an end to the “excessive intrusion into personal data” demanded when a person makes an allegation.’
The Guardian, 31st July 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
Rise in knives and blades found at London family courts – BBC News
‘Thousands of knives and sharp objects are being confiscated annually at London family courts, with campaigners saying it showed how “desensitised” some people were to carrying weapons.’
BBC News, 20th July 2019
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Ombudsman urges councils to check procedures when dealing with people with ‘hidden disabilities’ – Local Government Lawyer
‘The Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman has called on councils to check their procedures to avoid disadvantaging people with ‘hidden disabilities’, following the publication of three separate investigation reports into London councils.’
Local Government Lawyer, 2nd July 2019
Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk
UK property register ‘needed urgently’ to stop money laundering – The Guardian
‘Proposals for the first register of foreign-owned property aimed at preventing “McMafia-style” money laundering should be put in practice urgently and reinforced to plug potential loopholes, the government has been told.’
The Guardian, 20th May 2019
Source: www.theguardian.com
