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Public law case update Q1 2025

Kieran Laird and Sophie O’Mahoney offer a straightforward and concise overview of six public law and regulation cases from the first quarter of 2025 which highlight important points of principle and procedure.
June 25, 2025
Public law case update Q1 2025

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Families refusing access to support

Is home a suitable option for residence and care for a vulnerable adult if their family refuses access to support? Sophie Holmes analyses a recent ruling.
Families refusing access to support

Features

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Recording and publishing officer decisions

Geoff Wild considers the much-misunderstood law governing the recording and publishing of officer decisions.
June 25, 2025
Recording and publishing officer decisions

Who runs councils in no overall control?

Geoff Wild looks at the key considerations where elections see local authorities left in ‘no overall control’.
May 29, 2025
Who runs councils in no overall control?

Local inquiries into Child Sexual Exploitation are merely pins on a map; a national inquiry is needed to string them together

With Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s audit of child sexual exploitation underway, and the government backing local inquiries, the controversy remains. Henry Bermingham argues that whilst these local inquiries can drive change on a small scale, they will fail to address the full causes of child sexual exploitation.
May 21, 2025
Local inquiries into Child Sexual Exploitation are merely pins on a map; a national inquiry is needed to string them together

A New Kind of Local Government Reform?

Simon Goacher, Head of Local Government at national law firm Weightmans, explores the legal and governance challenges facing newly elected Reform UK councils as they transition from opposition to administration across ten local authorities in England.
May 09, 2025
A New Kind of Local Government Reform?

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Local authority constitutions and the right of councillors to vote

The Supreme Court has handed down a landmark ruling on the lawfulness of a provision in a local authority's constitution which restricted voting by members on deferred applications for planning permission to those who had been present at the meeting or meetings at which the application had previously been considered. Philip McCourt set out the key points from the judgment.

Thinking ahead

Philip McCourt and Kirtpal Kaur Aujla comment on the contractual and commercial tasks ahead for local government reorganisation.

Approaching the pre-election period

Ahead of the May 2025 elections, Geoff Wild provides guidance for officers and members on the "dos and don'ts" during the pre-election period (‘‘purdah’).

AI in Local Government

Ibrahim Hasan looks at the legal issues that must be navigated around the use of AI in local government.

Navigating the devolution revolution: A guide for local authorities

Since the English Devolution White Paper was published in December 2024, the first tranche of councils have taken initial steps towards local government reorganisation. Laura Hughes explains what has happened so far and what all local authorities need to be considering.

Five challenges facing local government in 2025

Local government is facing a complex and shifting operational landscape, shaped by ongoing budgetary pressures, ambitious policy objectives, and new legislative frameworks. Lawyers from the Government & Public Services team at TLT identify their top five challenges for 2025 and offer some thoughts on the best approach to tackling them.

‘All hail the Mayor’

Philip McCourt sets out some key considerations arising out of the English Devolution White Paper.

Bold ambitions

Amardeep Gill and Paul McDermott analyse the government’s English Devolution White Paper.

Mind the gap(s)

Lottie Winson speaks with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, Amerdeep Somal, about her plans to address “accountability gaps”, challenges within the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system, and the key findings and recommendations of the Ombudsman’s recently published Triennial Review.

Changes in death certification

V. Charles Ward examines recent changes to death certification following the statutory adoption of the medical examiner system, and outlines their implications for local authorities.

Proposed Law Commission reforms to free up grave space

The Law Commission is seeking to reform the law of burial in England and Wales, which it says is “piecemeal, complex and outdated”. V. Charles Ward looks at the background to the proposals ad whether they go far enough.

The future of devolution under Labour

Amardeep Gill and Louise Kavanagh consider the future of devolution under Labour, and specifically what this could mean for regions within England.

From the Twin Pillars to the Golden Triangle – a balancing of the powers

In a recent article Paul Feild expressed concern that the LLG, CIPFA and Solace’s 2024 Code of Practice on Good Governance for Local Authority Statutory Officers places onerous obligations on the Monitoring Officer without consideration as to how they might deal with them. Philip McCourt, who drafted the Code, responds to those concerns and says its publication presents an opportunity to lobby for structural change.

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