The Public Service Obligations in Transport Regulations 2023 (the “PSO Regulations”), which came into force on Christmas Day 2023, set out procurement and subsidy control obligations in the public transport sector for public bodies awarding PSO contracts. Clarice Harper-Smith highlights the key considerations.

A number of significant changes to the planning enforcement regime will come into effect from 25 April 2024. Perhaps the most notable of these is a change to the time period in which Local Planning Authorities can take enforcement action against unauthorised development. Rebecca Stewart explores some of these changes.

Sophie Alexander provides a critical analysis of the likely impact of the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 on local authorities and their companies.

We often hear the term ‘back-to-back’ contracting, but what does this mean, and what are the common themes to consider when faced with a construction project involving multiple parties? Rachel Murray-Smith and Sydney Rich look at the issues.

The Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”) has extended the deadline for the registration of Registered Building Inspectors (“RBIs”) to 6 July 2024 following industry concerns. Ewan Anthony and Rachel Murray-Smith explain why.

Allan Owen and Clarice Harper-Smith consider a variety of methods and options available to public sector contracting authorities and the wider construction industry to avoid issues of late payment in construction contracts.

A High Court judge has ruled that the general principle that a litigant in judicial review proceedings is not entitled, as a matter of course, to redact, on the ground of relevance, the identities of officials in disclosure cannot be contracted out by the parties’ agreement through a consent order. Jonathan Blunden and Christian Grierson analyse the judgment.

Condition precedents are common in various commercial agreements. Ewan Anthony and David Owens discuss the court’s general approach to considering contractual condition precedents, and whether, particularly after the recent case of Lancashire Schools SPC Phase 2 Limited v Lendlease Construction (Europe) Limited and Others [2024] EWHC 37 (TCC), the court may be prepared to disregard them.

It has been a busy year in the construction industry, write David Owens, Rachel Murray-Smith and Helen Arthur, with some standout legislative changes, including in relation to the Building Safety Act 2022, and the Government issuing a significant paper in respect of behaviours relating to PFI contracts.

It has been (another) year in which the Government has tried to carry out the tricky balancing act between getting more houses built and living up to its green credentials, write Alastair Lewis, Bernadette Hillman, Emily Knowles and James Goldthorpe.

Jo Pickering, Aidan Dickinson, James Mallery-Nelson, Victoria Okafor and Christopher Watkins explore some of the main legislative changes brought in by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 which are set to impact the local government and property sector(s).

With 2024 set to be an interesting year for employment law and practice, we have already seen some changes from 1 January 2024 and there are further changes on the way through this year and into 2025, write Julie Bann and David Leach.

On 12 February 2024, mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (“BNG”) officially arrived. Alastair Lewis, Emily Knowles and James Goldthorpe explore how BNG will need to be approached at the planning application stage.

Joe Walker and Helen Arthur explain what a remediation order is and look at two recent cases to see how the First-Tier Tribunal has interpreted the framework for these.

In a unanimous judgment, the Court of Appeal has dismissed the government’s appeal of a High Court judgment which proscribed the government’s practice of routinely redacting the names of junior civil servants when supplying disclosure in judicial review proceedings. Christian Grierson and Jonathan Blunden analyse the judgment.

David Leach sets out the key points for employers from new regulations affecting paternity leave.

Alastair Lewis and Emily Knowles looks at the latest developments in relation to Biodiversity Net Gain, including the all-important start dates for major and small developments.

The High Court recently considered whether a party can refer a dispute to an adjudicator on both a ‘true value’ and ‘smash and grab’ basis. Michael Comba, Ewan Anthony and David Owens analyse the ruling.

The Court of Appeal recently delivered its much anticipated judgment in Churchill v. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. Colin Ricciardiello and William Murrin analyse its likely impact.

Simon Kiely and Jonathan Blunden provide an update on the redaction of the identities of officials in judicial review litigation.

David Leach and Francesca Gallagher look at a welcome injection of interest in Employment law, with draft regulations being laid before Parliament on changes to the Equality Act, action on holiday pay, which may be the biggest shakeup of the Working Time Regulations since they were introduced some 25 years ago and also consideration of the TUPE regs.

David Leach reports on the latest legal developments in relation to family leave.

Juli Lau looks at the latest procurement thresholds published by the Government last month.

Michael Comba and Shyann Sheehy examine key case law relating to the NEC suite of contracts, building on the topics explored by their colleagues in this series previously.

On 29 June the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 (the ‘Act’) received Royal Assent. Juli Lau and Shyann Sheehy look at the key provisions.

The high-profile Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 has received Royal Assent. Julie Bann and Francesca Gallagher provide an update on the key points.

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 triggered concerns about the future of domestic employment law, which originated in the EU. New draft regulations, The Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Regulations 2023 which are planned to come into force on 1 January 2024 provide welcomed clarity on the issue in respect of the Equality Act 2010, writes David Leach.

Mari Roberts and Christopher Watkins look at the lessons to be learned from the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on whether courts can grant injunctions against "newcomers".

In the first in a new series on renewable energy technologies, Steve Gummer and Steve Cirell look at onshore wind.

Under the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023, which received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023, the Secretary of State has the power to set Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) for “relevant services” in the fields of health, transport, education, fire and rescue, border control, and nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management services. Christopher Grierson and Francesca Gallagher look at the key provisions.

All employers will need to urgently update their recruitment policies, writes David Leach.

As a starting point for navigating the new procurement regime, Juli Lau identifies some key themes which are particularly relevant to public authorities.

A recent High Court decision has reaffirmed that planning authorities should not invoke their rights as private landowners to stifle planning applications, write Gemma Duncan and William Murrin.

On 21 October 2023 the Government published its long awaited response to the Consultation on implementation of mandatory electronic waste tracking. Sally Stock and Natasha Barlow set out the key points.

Colin Ricciardiello looks at an economic operator’s right to bring a procurement challenge.

On 21 October 2023, the Government published its long awaited response to the results of its consultation on ‘Consistency in household and business recycling in England’. Sally Stock and Natasha Barlow examine the detail.