News

Feb 13, 2026

High Court to hold review hearing of Birmingham street cruiser injunction

The High Court will later this month hold a review hearing for the injunction in Birmingham that prohibits anyone within the local authority boundary from taking part in or encouraging any form of street cruising activity.

Feb 13, 2026

ICO praises FOI performance of mid-sized councils in North West but urges them to continue to review processes

The overall picture of freedom of information compliance of mid-sized local authorities in the North West of England is strong, the Information Commissioner’s Office has found, with internal review rates reasonably low and few complaints having to be escalated to the ICO.

Feb 13, 2026

Ombudsman criticises council for leaving child without alternative education for more than a year

North Tyneside Council has agreed to pay £5,900 to a family after an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman found the local authority failed to provide promised specialist technology that would have allowed a child with special educational needs to learn from home.

Feb 13, 2026

Council threatened with legal action over disposal of sports stadium

A campaign group has issued a pre-action protocol letter over Calderdale Council’s plans to dispose of a sports stadium in Halifax.

Feb 13, 2026

Department for Education consults on new gender guidance for schools

The Department for Education has launched a consultation on new gender guidance for schools, which will instruct them to take a “very careful approach” when a child asks to socially transition.

Feb 13, 2026

Government consults on geographies for spatial development strategies but districts express concern at potential exclusion from new breed of Strategic Planning Boards

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued a non-statutory consultation on the “sensible geographies” across which spatial development strategies need to be developed.

Feb 12, 2026

Statutory guidance issued on duty to produce Local Supported Housing Strategy

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has issued statutory guidance that local housing authorities in England must have regard to when complying with the new duty to produce and publish a “Local Supported Housing Strategy”.

Feb 12, 2026

AI transcription tools in social work introducing new risks to people and society, such as bias and ‘hallucinations’, report warns

AI transcription is rapidly being rolled out across social work, but current approaches to ethics and evaluation are “limited and light-touch”, a report by the Ada Lovelace Institute has claimed.

Feb 12, 2026

Sadiq Khan vows to end “licensing postcode lottery” with London-wide strategic licensing policy

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched a consultation on a proposed London-wide Strategic Licensing Policy intended to enable a “more unified and consistent system”.

Feb 12, 2026

Government introduces legislation to tackle electoral intimidation, reduce foreign interference and give 16-17-year-olds the vote

Courts will have the power to impose tougher sentences for offences involving electoral intimidation under the Representation of the People Bill introduced by the Government today (12 February).

Feb 12, 2026

National review calls for earlier and stronger pre‑birth safeguarding to protect vulnerable unborn babies and infants

A national child safeguarding review has called for “urgent action” to better protect vulnerable unborn babies and infants, following the death of baby Victoria Marten in 2023.

Feb 12, 2026

Total council SEND spending could hit £18.2 billion annually by 2028 if system goes unreformed, thinktank warns

A report by the Policy Exchange has claimed that total council SEND spending could hit £18.2 billion annually by 2028 when central Government assumes responsibility, if the system goes unreformed.

Feb 12, 2026

Regulator of Social Housing hits North East council with lowest grading for “very serious failings”

Northumberland County Council has become the latest local authority to be issued with a C4 grade by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), the lowest possible, after a planned inspection found fundamental changes were needed to address very serious failings.

Feb 12, 2026

District council concedes claim over council tax reduction scheme

A case taken against Three Rivers District Council over council tax relief for people with disabilities has important implications for other authorities, a solicitor involved has said.

Feb 12, 2026

Application by local authority for authorisation of deprivation of liberty for 15-year-old was not necessary, judge finds

The High Court has dismissed a local authority’s application for a deprivation of liberty order in relation to a disabled 15-year-old girl, finding that the consents provided by her father to the deprivation of her liberty were all considered to be in her best interests, and that each fell “within…

Feb 11, 2026

Judge was not wrong to prefer long-term fostering, even if he did not follow recommended format for balancing factors: Court of Appeal

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a local authority over a judge’s decision to refuse to make a placement order at the conclusion of care proceedings.

Feb 11, 2026

National Housing Delivery Fund must have “clear priorities” to unlock homes the country needs, spending watchdog says

The Government needs to set out clearly the purpose and ambitions of the National Housing Delivery Fund (NHDF), and track both the land unlocked and the number of homes built, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.

Feb 11, 2026

Judicial review over rural Wales pylons scheme to be heard in High Court

The High Court has granted permission for a judicial review hearing against plans by Green GEN to build more than 200 kilometres of high-voltage pylons and substations through rural Wales.

Feb 11, 2026

Ministers order best value inspection at borough council

The Government has sent a team of inspectors into Bedford Borough Council because of concerns about its finance and governance and an earlier warning that it risked a section 114 notice.

Feb 11, 2026

Borough has taken initial steps to stabilise financial position but still faces “very significant challenges”: Commissioners

Spelthorne Borough Council is some £715m in debt even after a restructuring following a series of rash property investments, commissioners appointed by the Government have found.

Feb 11, 2026

Winckworth Sherwood strengthens Social Housing team with new partner

Law firm Winckworth Sherwood has bolstered its Social Housing team with the appointment of Shazia Bashir as a Partner.

Feb 10, 2026

Minister promises shift away from micromanagement by central government with renamed Local Outcomes Framework

The Government’s Local Outcomes Framework will shift the focus of central government “away from micromanagement of individual activities and towards a focus on the outcomes we all care about”, the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, has said.

Feb 10, 2026

Ethics and Integrity Commission to review public sector ombudsman system

The Ethics and Integrity Commission has confirmed that is to review the public sector ombudsman system, with the terms of reference and a call for evidence expected to be published next month.

Feb 10, 2026

LGA launches consultation on adult social care and role of councils in delivery

The Local Government Association (LGA) is this week launching a conversation and engagement series with councils, sector stakeholders and people with lived experience on the role of local government in a reformed system of adult social care.

Feb 10, 2026

Consultation launched on new duty on Welsh authorities to prepare annual sufficiency plans for accommodating looked after children

The Welsh Government has this week (9 February) launched a consultation on new duties for local authorities to prepare and publish an ‘annual sufficiency plan’ setting out how they will meet their duty to secure appropriate accommodation for looked after children, in line with the removing profit…

Feb 10, 2026

Local government finance settlement details plans to write off 90% of council SEND deficits

The Government has confirmed a final local government finance settlement for 2025-26 of £69bn, alongside plans to write-off 90% of councils' SEND deficits.

Feb 10, 2026

Current court estate for civil justice in Cardiff is “untenable”, says Lady Chief Justice

A modern, reliable court estate is foundational to access to justice and there is an “overwhelming operational case” for a new civil justice centre in Cardiff, a fit-for-purpose building bringing together civil, family, public law and tribunal work, the Lady Chief Justice has said.

Feb 10, 2026

Civitas Chambers barrister named Welsh Interest Member of Civil Justice Council

Barrister Owain Rhys James has been appointed as the Welsh Interest Member of the Civil Justice Council.

Feb 09, 2026

Potential equal pay liabilities prevent auditors from signing off city council accounts

External auditors have issued a disclaimer of opinion due to uncertainty arising from a set of equal pay claims against Coventry City Council.

Feb 09, 2026

Social housing progress has “ground to a halt” since pandemic, says select committee

Too many people living in social housing “suffer from appalling housing conditions and do not have their complaints treated seriously” while progress in bringing homes up to a minimum standard has almost ground to a halt.

Feb 09, 2026

Supreme Court refuses permission for appeal over permanent exclusion after school ski trip

The Supreme Court has declined to grant a school pupil permission to appeal her permanent exclusion for entering a teacher’s hotel room during a school ski trip without permission to retrieve her confiscated mobile phone.

Feb 09, 2026

High Court to hear claim against planning permission for Tottenham Hotspur training ground

The High Court has agreed to hear a judicial review that claims Enfield Council's planning committee was "misled" when it decided to grant permission for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club's plans to develop part of a park into a private training ground.

Feb 09, 2026

Welsh Language Commissioner questions proposed civil procedure rule changes in hearing disputes over meaning of Welsh and English texts

The Welsh Language Commissioner has expressed concern about the Civil Procedure Rule Committee’s “understanding of the equal status of English and Welsh texts in Welsh legislation”.

Feb 09, 2026

Less than half of councils think they will meet minimum legal duties by 2028/29: LGA research

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called for a significant increase in resources in the forthcoming Local Government Finance Settlement after finding that more than a third of councils believe they will need a Government bailout within the next three years.

Feb 09, 2026

Ombudsman finds fault with council policy and factsheet on home to school transport

An Ombudsman investigation into the London Borough of Enfield’s handling of education transport has found fault with the council’s policy and factsheet.

Feb 09, 2026

Council at fault for combining annual review for ECHP with separate process of tribunal appeal: Ombudsman

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found a county council at fault for failing to adhere to the statutory timescales in reviewing a child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, and for failing to ensure delivery of the child’s EHC Plan provision.

Feb 09, 2026

University names nine firms to legal services open framework

Nottingham Trent University has named seven law firms and two patent and trade mark attorneys to a multi-milllion pound open framework agreement for the provision of legal services.

Feb 06, 2026

High Court rejects legal challenge to early closure of special school on Fridays

The High Court has rejected a legal challenge against a decision by the governing body of a state-maintained community special school to close at 1.30pm on Fridays for the Autumn Term.

Feb 06, 2026

City council agrees to quashing of outline planning permission for 3,500-home regeneration scheme

The High Court has quashed Birmingham City Council’s grant of outline planning permission for a regeneration scheme at Druids Heath that would have included the construction of up to 3,500 residential units.

Feb 06, 2026

Minister issues district council with holding direction over emerging Local Plan amid soundness and legal compliance concerns

The Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, has issued Three Rivers District Council with a Local Plan Holding Direction letter, saying he has “little confidence” that the local authority’s emerging plan is satisfactory and capable of being found sound or legally compliant at…

Feb 06, 2026

CILEx Regulation makes “time-limited” amendments to practice rights application process

CILEx Regulation has made a number of time-limited amendments to the practice rights application process, after representations were made that portfolio applicants affected by the Mazur judgment faced challenges when completing applications.

Feb 05, 2026

Swansea Council sends pre-action letters to Welsh Rugby Union and club owners after being told Ospreys will cease to exist

Swansea Council has issued pre‑action legal letters to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and Y11, owners of the Ospreys, after being told that regional rugby in Swansea will not exist beyond the end of next season if a takeover of Cardiff Rugby by Y11 is successful.

Feb 05, 2026

LGA claims eight in ten councils will become insolvent over “mounting deficits” related to cost of providing SEND support

Eight in ten councils have warned they will become insolvent over “mounting deficits” related to the cost of supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), according to a new survey by the Local Government Association (LGA).

Feb 05, 2026

Courts must prepare for a surge in AI-generated claims: Master of the Rolls

The Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, has warned that generative AI will dramatically increase the number of civil, family and tribunal claims and that the justice system will need to embrace technology and AI if it is to cope.

Feb 05, 2026