News

Dec 18, 2025

Ombudsman sees 15% increase in number of new complaints registered for second consecutive year

During 2024-25, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman dealt with 22,010 complaints and enquiries, seeing a 15% increase in the number of new complaints registered for a second consecutive year.

Dec 18, 2025

Ministry asks 63 areas affected by local government reorganisation for views on postponing May 2026 elections

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has asked councils in England impacted by local government reorganisation for their views on postponing next year’s elections.

Dec 18, 2025

Planning and Infrastructure Bill receives Royal Assent with government promise to modernise planning committees

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill has received Royal Assent today (18 December), with the Government promising to bring forward a wide range to measures “at haste to speed up housebuilding and the delivery of critical infrastructure”.

Dec 18, 2025

Employment Rights Act receives Royal Assent

The Employment Rights Act has today (18 December) received Royal Assent, with the Government saying it will bring an end to ‘fire and rehire’ and ‘fire and replace’ practices and an end to zero-hours contracts.

Dec 18, 2025

LLG calls for applications for positions of Deputy Vice-President, Regional Director for Wales and Junior National Lead

LLG (Lawyers in Local Government) is inviting applications for the positions of Deputy Vice-President, with the successful candidate set to assume the presidency of the organisation in 2028.

Dec 18, 2025

Data was copied without authorisation in recent cyber attack “with criminal intent”, London boroughs reveal

Some council data was copied and taken away by a third party without consent following a recent cyber security incident, Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea have confirmed.

Dec 18, 2025

Council prosecutes former employee for ‘polygamous working’

Barnet Council has prosecuted a former employee for ‘polygamous working’ - the practice of holding more than one full-time job simultaneously - after an investigation revealed she was working full-time for two London councils.

Dec 18, 2025

Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon) to step down as Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of GLD

Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon) has announced that after five years as Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department and 33 years’ service in a range of roles in the Government Legal Profession, she has decided to step down and “explore pastures new”.

Dec 18, 2025

Secretary of State writes to leaders and metro mayors on key changes to National Planning Policy Framework

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has written to leaders of local authorities and metro mayors in England to highlight two key proposed reforms in the Government’s consultation on an overhaul of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Dec 18, 2025

Council failed to provide child with education in statutory timescale after school exclusion, Ombudsman finds

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised East Sussex County Council after it failed to provide education in the statutory timescale after excluding a pupil, and failed to meet the section 42 duty to meet his special educational needs.

Dec 17, 2025

District and boroughs lodge complaint with monitoring officer of county over alleged "breaches" of publicity rules

The five district and borough councils in Suffolk have issued a complaint with the county council’s monitoring officer claiming it has breached the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity in the way it promoted its preferred option for local government reorganisation.

Dec 17, 2025

Social housing regulator slams borough council over “unacceptable” breadth and scale of failings

Gosport Borough Council has been hit with a C4 grade by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), making it the latest local authority to be graded at the lowest possible level.

Dec 17, 2025

Government launches consultation on latest revisions to National Planning Policy Framework

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation on “a fuller and more definitive overhaul” of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Dec 17, 2025

Welsh Government unveils 10-year plan to strengthen rights of disabled people

The Welsh Government has this week (15 December) published its Disabled People's Rights Plan, setting out “practical actions” to tackle barriers across employment, transport, education, healthcare, housing and public services.

Dec 17, 2025

Council wins appeal over grant of summary judgment to defendant with introductory tenancy over claim for possession

Sandwell Borough Council has won a case over an introductory tenancy after a judge admitted it had been difficult to resolve with “sound arguments on both sides for the opposing contentions as to meaning of s. 130 of the Housing Act 1996”.

Dec 17, 2025

Upper Tribunal calls for fresh hearing after setting aside ruling on prohibition orders issued by district council

The Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) has told the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to look again at a case concerning 15 prohibition notices issued by Tandridge District Council because of dissatisfaction with the way an officer assessed the likelihood of harms.

Dec 17, 2025

Court orders quantum disclosure ahead of mediation of claim brought by Kensington & Chelsea over Grenfell fire

Parties to a commercial case brought by the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and its tenant management organisation (TMO) in the aftermath of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire disaster could have to wait until July 2029 for results in court after a ruling on a possible timetable taking account of…

Dec 17, 2025

Crown Court makes £900k confiscation order over planning enforcement breaches

A Crown Court has ordered a family of landlords to pay more than £900,000 for converting a property without permission and failing to comply with a set of enforcement notices, following a prosecution by the London Borough of Ealing.

Dec 17, 2025

Council wins appeal over refusal of application for authority to end residential unit placement for mother and baby

A Family Court judge proceeded “too quickly and cursorily” to an “unshakeable" view when refusing a local authority’s application for authorisation to end a placement of a mother and her baby at a residential unit, the Court of Appeal has found.

Dec 16, 2025

Commissioners praise “encouraging” progress at Woking but warn debt challenge remains

Commissioners have described Woking Borough Council's progress as "encouraging", detailing governance improvements and risk management at the local authority.

Dec 16, 2025

Police investigating after councillors “pelted” with “eggs and missiles” from public gallery

Kent Police have launched an investigation after members of the public - some of whom were wearing balaclavas - "pelted" councillors with eggs at a Swale Borough Council meeting last week.

Dec 16, 2025

Electoral Commission publishes updated guidance on improving support for disabled people in May 2026 elections

The Electoral Commission has published new guidance aimed at ensuring disabled voters receive improved support at polling stations in the May 2026 elections.

Dec 16, 2025

Administrative Court rejects challenge by parents over decision to make children subject to child protection plan

The Administrative Court has rejected on a judicial review claim over a council’s decision to issue child protection plans in relation to two children with complex needs.

Dec 16, 2025

Council to pay £270k after tribunal finds “sustained” race discrimination against two taxi drivers

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has been ordered to pay more than £270,000 in compensation to two self-employed taxi drivers after an Employment Tribunal concluded they were subjected to race discrimination by licensing officers.

Dec 15, 2025

Section 5 report details “fundamentally flawed” and “unlawful” building disposal decision

A council’s decision to transfer the freehold of a college building to a foundation for £1 despite it being worth an estimated £4.6m was unlawful, according to a section 5 report issued by the local authority’s monitoring officer.

Dec 15, 2025

Council assembles task force in bid to bring legal action against asylum hotels

West Northamptonshire Council has set up a task force as part of efforts to pursue legal action against asylum hotels in its area.

Dec 15, 2025

Council failed to take “sufficient action” to safeguard woman in supported living accommodation after aggressive behaviour from another resident, Ombudsman finds

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found that Leeds City Council failed to take “sufficient action” to safeguard a woman living in supported living accommodation arranged by the local authority, after she experienced aggressive behaviour from another resident.

Dec 15, 2025

Auditors tell council to address abusive behaviour in meetings for second year in row

The external auditors for Teignbridge District Council have retained a statutory recommendation calling on the council to address "swearing" and abusive behaviour towards officers and members during meetings.

Dec 15, 2025

Ombudsman criticises failure by council to consider request from mother for summer born daughter to start reception after fifth birthday

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Herefordshire Council for failing to “properly consider” a mother’s request to allow her summer born daughter to start Reception at school after her fifth birthday in September 2026.

Dec 15, 2025

Council agrees to make changes to practice guidance on care charging following judicial review threat

Judicial review proceedings issued over Kent County Council’s care charging policy, which the claimant alleged had resulted in individuals overpaying for their social care, have been settled days before trial.

Dec 12, 2025

Around 50,000 specialist places to support children with SEND in mainstream schools to be created nationwide, says Education Secretary

The Education Secretary has announced a “transformational” expansion of specialist, calm learning spaces in mainstream schools, equipped with facilities to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Dec 12, 2025

Court of Protection considers correct legal test for assessing whether woman has capacity to make own decision as to whether or not to marry

A Court of Protection judge has considered the correct legal test for assessing whether an elderly woman with dementia has the capacity to make her own decision as to whether or not to marry, finding that the court should assess her capacity to marry in general, rather than her capacity to marry a…

Dec 12, 2025

Family Court approves care plan entailing move to Jamaica amid concerns over immigration application risks

A Family Court judge has approved a care plan for a young looked-after British child to move to Jamaica to live with her maternal half-brother, who is in the care of his paternal aunt.

Dec 11, 2025

High Court rejects all five grounds in Luton Airport expansion legal challenge

Campaigners behind an unsuccessful judicial review challenge of the Government's decision to green-light the expansion of Luton Airport have said they may appeal the High Court's decision.

Dec 11, 2025

Government to set up national Child Protection Authority as part of reforms to protect children from abuse

The Department for Education has announced plans for a new Child Protection Authority, as part of a government strategy to protect children from predators and abuse.

Dec 11, 2025

Select committee to scrutinise public inquiries and implementation of their findings

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) is to scrutinise public inquiries and the implementation of their findings, following a recommendation from the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Dec 11, 2025

High Court rules temporary chief constable appointment by police and crime commissioner was unlawful

A decision by a Police and Crime Commissioner to appoint a chief constable on a temporary basis was "unlawful", the High Court has found.

Dec 11, 2025

City of London wins appeal over intentional homelessness of tenant who moved from London to Brighton and then sought to return

A man who moved from social housing in London to Brighton and then wished to move back again was correctly found intentionally homeless by the City of London Corporation, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Dec 11, 2025

UK government failing to uphold key human rights, including rights to peaceful protest and access to healthcare for disabled people: EHRC

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued a warning that human rights in the UK are being “compromised” because of gaps in the government’s action, and has written to ministers to remind them of international obligations.

Dec 11, 2025