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Jul 07, 2025

Supreme Court to hear case on ending of section 193 Housing Act duty

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a dispute over whether a local authority’s duty to house homeless applicants under section 193 of the Housing Act 1996 ends by operation of law or whether the local authority is required to make a decision that the duty has ended.

Jul 07, 2025

Letter to Guardian from celebrities and others warns government against removing EHCPs

A letter sent to The Guardian signed by celebrities including Chris Packham, Sally Phillips and Jane Asher and more than 100 others has called on the Government not to remove the right to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) from children attending mainstream schools.

Jul 07, 2025

London borough leaves domestic abuse survivor street homeless for five weeks, Ombudsman finds

A man who escaped his abusive relatives was left street homeless for five weeks despite asking the London Borough of Waltham Forest for help, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has concluded.

Jul 04, 2025

Court of Appeal allows appeal against BBC in open justice case

The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal brought on behalf of two children against an order granting an application by the BBC for access to documents in care proceedings, and the partial variation of reporting restrictions on the basis that the open justice principle applied.

Jul 04, 2025

Court of Appeal allows liability claim against council over “dangerous” hole in grass verge

The Court of Appeal has upheld a man’s appeal against a judge’s decision to reject his claim for liability against Hertfordshire County Council in relation to a hole in a grass verge which caused him to fall off his bicycle.

Jul 03, 2025

New Hillsborough Law will include legal duty of candour, says Prime Minister

Sir Keir Starmer has told the House of Commons he is "fully committed" to bringing in legislation which would force public officials to tell the truth at major inquiries, with "criminal sanctions for those that refuse to comply", after concerns were raised that the government wanted to "water down"…

Jul 03, 2025

Social landlords should monitor hate crime incidents across homes and may need to work with other bodies to resolve ASB: Housing Ombudsman

In its latest ‘learning from severe maladministration’ report, the Housing Ombudsman has urged landlords to focus on hate incidents in antisocial behaviour (ASB).

Jul 03, 2025

Flying Pride Flag needs “advertising consent” says planning authority in Warwickshire row

A Progress Pride flag at the centre of a row between Reform UK and the chief executive of Warwickshire County Council had not been granted permission to be flown, the planning authority for Warwick has revealed.

Jul 03, 2025

MPs call for new commissioner to help curb council legal disputes over street works

The Transport Committee has suggested creating a commissioner for street works in an effort to avoid disputes between local authorities and utility companies going to court.

Jul 03, 2025

Government opens consultation on reformed Decent Homes Standard to include privately rented housing

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation on plans to update the Decent Homes Standard, which currently only applies to social housing, to include privately rented housing.

Jul 03, 2025

Government to review local authority legislation and statutory duties in bid to reduce bureaucracy

The Government is set to deploy artificial intelligence to plough through some 20,000 pieces of legislation that apply to local authorities to see which remain necessary.

Jul 02, 2025

Renters Reform Bill to be delayed until Autumn: report

The Renters Rights Bill is likely to be delayed into the autumn because of a logjam of legislation.

Jul 02, 2025

Warwickshire Chief Exec defies Reform council leader's request to remove Pride flag

Warwickshire County Council’s chief executive refused a call from the ruling Reform UK party to remove the Pride flag from the shire hall.

Jul 02, 2025

Judge criticises claim against council in private dispute

An Ealing resident who used judicial review to ventilate “what is quintessentially a private law dispute between neighbours about actual or potential acts of trespass and alleged antisocial behaviour”, has lost her case over the construction of a parking crossover.

Jul 02, 2025

Parents to take legal action against council and charity over abuse of disabled children

The parents of children who were potentially abused by a Walsall paedophile are set to take legal action against Solihull Council and charity Social Life Opportunities (Solo), which provides organised activities for children with special educational needs.