Orgreave report ‘could prejudice Hillsborough inquiry’ – BBC News

‘A full report into allegations of police misconduct at the so-called Battle of Orgreave will not be made public, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 12th July 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Student launches legal action against IPCC over CS spray incident – The Guardian

‘A university student who alleges he was assaulted by police during a demonstration has launched legal action against the Independent Police Complaints Commission.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human rights group condemns Prevent anti-radicalisation strategy – The Guardian

‘The government’s Prevent strategy aimed at combating homegrown terrorism is stifling freedom of expression within the classroom and risks being counterproductive, a human rights report warns.’

Full story

The Guardian, 13th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal services: removing barriers to competition – official-documents.gov.uk

‘Consultation on proposals to make amendments to the Legal Services Act 2007.’

Full consultation

official-documents.gov.uk, 7th July 2016

Source: www.official-documents.gov.uk

Consultation on further liberalisation of legal services market – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government today unveiled plans for a second wave of reforms aimed at opening the legal services market to new businesses.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 7th July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Ofcom faces High Court action by CityFibre over claims it protects BT from broadband competition – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 6th, 2016 in appeals, competition, internet, news, ombudsmen, telecommunications, tribunals by Mark L

‘Ofcom has been accused of making “ridiculous” policy decisions that will cement BT’s position in the broadband market as a “single, unassailable wholesale infrastructure provider” in a High Court challenge by alternative network builder CityFibre.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th July 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Families hope for answers in Bristol review of hospital child deaths – The Guardian

‘The parents of young children who died on a controversial cardiac ward have spoken of their fears that they might not get the answers they crave ahead of the publication of an independent inquiry into their sons’ care.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Watchdog demands more powers to stop cold-calling kingpins from dodging fines – Daily Telegraph

‘Cold call kings behind millions of nuisance calls are getting away with it because the Government has refused to hold them personally liable, the departing Information Commissioner has told The Telegraph. Christopher Graham, in his final interview before stepping down, said he had repeatedly pressed ministers to give him the power to pursue the directors of cold-calling companies – but his pleas had been ignored.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pensions Ombudsman anonymity move will protect individuals, but could lead to vexatious claims, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

Posted June 13th, 2016 in anonymity, complaints, news, ombudsmen, pensions, vexatious litigants by sally

‘The UK Pensions Ombudsman has begun publishing adjudicators’ opinions and formal ombudsman determinations on its website and will make the complainants anonymous in most cases.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 10th June 2016

Source: www.out-law.com

LGO demands action over backlog of 1,500 planning control cases at council – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Local Government Ombudsman investigation has found that the London Borough of Hackney had a backlog of 1,500 planning enforcement cases, some of them 15 years old.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th June 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

IPCC criticises Sussex police over hooding of disabled 11-year-old girl – The Guardian

‘Sussex police have been strongly criticised by the force watchdog after an 11-year-old disabled girl was hooded, handcuffed and detained in custody for a total of more than 60 hours.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Council to refund care payments to 63 people after Ombudsman report – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 3rd, 2016 in community care, elderly, local government, news, ombudsmen, repayment by sally

‘Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has agreed to refund more than 60 older people if they are found to have been overcharged for care, following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 2nd June 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Richard Kirkham: JR55: Five Activist Strategies a Judge Should Avoid – UK Constitutional Law Association

‘The ruling of the Supreme Court in JR55 raises a host of issues which deserve a much fuller analysis than can be developed in this post. The best reading of the case is that its impact is largely isolated to the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints scheme involved, an ombudsman scheme which closed on 1st April as a result of the Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.’

Full story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 30th May 2016

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

Successful challenge to OFSTED nursery inspection – Education Blog

‘There is a rare example of a successful challenge to an OFSTED nursery inspection in R ota Old Co-operative Day Nursery Ltd v OFSTED [2016] EWHC 1126, handed down last week, which can be found here.’

Full story

Education Blog, 1st June 2016

Source: www.education11kbw.com

Jack Wills ad banned by Advertising Standards Authority over ‘irresponsible’ sexualised images – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 1st, 2016 in advertising, children, complaints, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘An ad for the teenage clothing brand Jack Wills has been banned for using sexualised images and text inappropriate for young people.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st June 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Birds Eye ad gets banned for exaggerating size of portions – The Guardian

Posted June 1st, 2016 in advertising, complaints, food, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘The advertising watchdog has censured Birds Eye for running a TV campaign that exaggerated the size of its ready meals which the company argued was necessary to “bring life to the ingredients”.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ombudsman warns on financial appointee role after council told to repay £12k – Local Government Lawyer

‘A local authority has agreed to repay nearly £12,000 to a disabled woman for whom it was acting as financial appointee, following an investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 24th May 2016

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Home Secretary’s Police Federation Conference 2016 speech – Home Office

‘Speech given by Theresa May at the Police Federation Annual Conference 2016 in Bournemouth.’

Full speech

Home Office, 17th May 2016

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Police watchdog to investigate Hillsborough inquest spin claims – The Guardian

‘The Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an investigation into allegations that South Yorkshire police tried to influence daily media coverage of the Hillsborough inquests and spin what the force considered to be evidence favourable to it.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ted Heath investigation to continue after probe into police misconduct finds no evidence of wrongdoing – The Independent

‘Police have vowed to continue their investigation into allegations of child sex abuse by the late Sir Edward Heath after several people responded to an appeal for information.’

Full story

The Independent, 12th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk