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Mar 18, 2026
Removal from kinship care
A Family Court judge recently decided that a local authority’s removal of a six-year-old boy from his aunt’s care was wrongful. Eleanor…
Mar 18, 2026
When school discipline meets disability
Sean Kennedy considers an important Upper Tribunal decision concerning school sanctions, disability and reasonable adjustments.
Mar 18, 2026
Navigating the expansion of foster care
Sarah Erwin-Jones looks at the risks, opportunities and strategic solutions for local authorities when it comes to expansion of foster care.
Mar 18, 2026
Personal welfare deputies – Lawson and Mottram strikes back?
Alexander Ruck Keene KC (Hon) analyses recent Court of Protection decisions about personal welfare deputies and the need for a Court of…
Mar 18, 2026
No "clinical decision" exemption from best interests
The Court of Appeal recently considered whether a judge erred in holding that a "clinical decision" to withhold life sustaining medical…
Mar 16, 2026
Local Government Reorganisation 2026
Read our exclusive guide providing insight into the challenges that senior legal professionals are facing, alongside a step-by-step look at…
Mar 13, 2026
Adoption vs long-term fostering
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…
Mar 13, 2026
Evolution of the academy trust and maintained school landscape
Recent Governments have tried to move all schools to academies. Is that about to happen under Labour? Graham Burns examines recent…
Mar 13, 2026
Care leavers and redaction of records
Is redaction of records necessary for privacy, or a cause of harm and frustration? Peter Garsden of the Access to Care Records Campaign…
Mar 13, 2026
“Unusual facts and procedural irregularities”
A recent case illustrates the importance of ensuring an intervenor is provided with filed documents they are entitled to and that draft…
Mar 13, 2026
Planning appeals and costs awards
Christopher Moss covers a recent judgment in which the Court of Appeal considered whether a Local Planning Authority had behaved…
Mar 12, 2026
Refusal of planning applications against officers’ advice
Simon Ricketts sets out five impending procedural protections for applicants against planning committees that refuse applications against…
Mar 12, 2026
Land value and the principle of reality
Devon County Council recently won a High Court battle concerning a million-pound wind turbine. Adam Boyle explains how.
Mar 12, 2026
The latest Sizewell C JR
The Court of Appeal recently refused permission to appeal in the latest Sizewell C judicial review, with the application certified as being…
Mar 12, 2026
Impecuniosity and other issues in credit hire claims
A county borough council was recently ordered to pay just 10% of the amount claimed for credit hire charges. Tom Danter explains how the…
Mar 09, 2026
Anti-Money Laundering: Key Issues for Local Government Legal and Governance Teams
Money laundering risk is often seen as a problem for banks, lawyers and accountants. But local authorities are far from immune. In a recent…
Mar 09, 2026
Arts and Culture, Community and Regeneration: The Two New Streamlined Subsidy Routes
Beatrice Wood and Sophie Read explore the two new Streamlined Routes, officially introduced in February this year, to simplify the awards…
Mar 06, 2026
Disclosure to the DBS
The High Court recently ordered a local authority to disclose to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) findings made by the Family Court…
Mar 06, 2026
The CAT and the New Lottery Subsidy Control challenge
The Competition Appeal Tribunal has rejected the New Lottery Subsidy Control challenge. Alexander Rose looks into what the case means for…
Mar 06, 2026
Gender-questioning children under draft KCSIE 2026
Miriam Carrion Benitez provides a safeguarding perspective on the important changes in the draft KCSIE 2026 concerning gender-questioning…
Mar 06, 2026
Accelerating the planning appeals process: unintended consequences
Could faster appeal decisions unintentionally slow the submission and determination of planning applications? Chrisa Tsompani explains.
Mar 06, 2026
The convergence of DRS, Simpler Recycling and EPR
Kirstin Roberts looks at the need to rethink local authority waste systems in light of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), Simpler Recycling…
Mar 05, 2026
Reserve below-threshold contracts for UK or local suppliers under the 2026 Order
Juli Lau and Shyann Sheehy look into the impact of the Local Government (Exclusion of Non-commercial Considerations) (England) Order 2026,…
Mar 05, 2026
CMO Principle and Financial Assistance Further Clarified in Latest CAT Judgment on Subsidy Control
Beatrice Wood and Oliver Dickie explore the key implications for public authorities following the latest CAT judgment on subsidy control…
Mar 05, 2026
Make Europe Build Again – The EU Industrial Accelerator Act
Kamran Zaheer provides an insight into the anticipated “Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA)" and whether it will result in a “Made in Europe”…
Mar 05, 2026
Affordable housing funding news & unlocking S106 units
The new National Housing Bank aims to accelerate affordable housing as Registered Providers face rising costs, borrowing limits and stalled…
Mar 05, 2026
The Social and Affordable Housing Programme 2026–2036: new guidance
Darren Hooker and Georgia Moon consider what Homes England’s new guidance on the Social and Affordable Housing Programme 2026–2036 means…
Mar 05, 2026
Housing case alert - February 2026
Tim Pearl, Tom Bradbury and Sumi Begum round up the latest housing law judgments of interest to local authorities and housing associations.
Mar 05, 2026
Residential developments: new section 106 delivery roadmap
Mark Sellers and Charlotte Benson-Goring look at how the Government’s proposed section 106 delivery roadmap will work in practice.
Mar 05, 2026
The Renters Rights Act and social landlords
Siobhan Keown and Ashleigh Dibb consider what the Renters’ Rights Act means for social landlords.
Mar 05, 2026
Assured tenancies: written statements and information sheets
George Ufumwen sets out the key points of new regulations for written statements and information sheets for assured tenancies, which will…
Feb 27, 2026
The Procurement Act 2023: One Year On - How procurement processes are evolving
In co-ordination with its client webinar on 19 March 2026, DAC Beachcroft will share with Local Government Lawyer readers a series of…
Feb 27, 2026
Book review: “Reforming lessons”
Geordie Cheetham and Satnam Virdi review “Reforming Lessons: Why English Schools Have Improved Since 2010 and How This Was Achieved” by…
Feb 27, 2026
Service charge recovery and the Building Safety Act 2022
Zoe McGovern, Sian Gibbon and Caroline Frampton set out what local authorities need to consider when it comes to the Building Safety Act…
Feb 27, 2026
The draft NPPF consultation: what’s new
Mark Harris and Mark Bassett set out the key proposed changes in the Government’s revised planning framework.
Feb 26, 2026
Mobile phones, AI and schools
New guidance on mobile phones and AI could impact school regulation, writes Jen Davie.
Feb 26, 2026
Transparency in FII cases
In a recent case Mrs Justice Lieven dealt with Transparency Orders in care proceedings. Graeme Bentley analyses the ruling.
Feb 25, 2026
Court documents and AI
Tom Whittaker summarises the key points from a Civil Justice Council consultation on use of AI in preparing court documents, including…
Feb 25, 2026
Next steps for the LGPS after the access and fairness consultation
Alec Bennett highlights the key points from the Government’s response to its “Access and fairness” consultation in relation to the Local…
Feb 25, 2026
What is an Officer?
Geoff Wild considers what exactly is an 'officer' of a council and explores the complex rules that surround their appointment and dismissal.
Feb 25, 2026
The High Court on the EHRC’s “interim update”
The High Court has rejected a judicial review challenge brought by Good Law Project and three individual claimants to the “interim update”…
Feb 25, 2026
Substituted decision notices and contempt of court
A council was recently held in contempt for non-compliance with a First-Tier Tribunal decision following an environmental information…
Feb 25, 2026
Social media guidance for members
Paul Feild provides some tips on putting together a social media policy for members.
Feb 24, 2026
2026 in construction: a look ahead
Michael Comba and Rachel Murray-Smith provide a summary of the key points of interest in the upcoming year in the construction sector,…
Feb 19, 2026
Track allocation in housing disrepair claims
A recent case provides valuable guidance on the proper approach to track allocation in housing disrepair cases and highlights the…
Feb 19, 2026
Withdrawing applications for care orders
Phoebe Duterloo looks at the lessons from a recent Family Court judgment following a local authority’s application to withdraw care…
Feb 19, 2026
Appropriate professional boundaries for teachers
Should a teacher be banned for telling a parent their child was being singled out by other staff? Alexandra Addington considers a recent…
Feb 18, 2026
Children under 16 and deprivation of liberty
Ms Justice Henke as Lead Judge for the National Deprivation of Liberty List has recently handed down two informative judgments in relation…
Feb 18, 2026
A Welsh white leopard?
Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) looks at a recent case where litigation capacity in the absence of subject-matter capacity was revisited.
Feb 18, 2026
Conversion to an ‘empty’ MAT
Gerry Morrison considers the legal, governance and practical implications of Franklin Sixth Form College’s conversion to an ‘empty’…
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Unlocking legal talent
Jonathan Bourne of Damar Training sets out why in-house council teams and law firms should embrace apprenticeships.
Walker Morris supports Tower Hamlets Council in first known Remediation Contribution Order application issued by local authority
Walker Morris has supported Tower Hamlets London Borough Council (LBTH) in issuing what is believed to be one of the first Remediation…
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Energy efficiency webinar
Steve Gummer, Steve Cirell and Jo Dicks consider the delivery of energy efficiency at local authorities.
About the speakers
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Steve Gummer Steve has significant experience in advising on infrastructure and PPP projects, especially in the regulated utilities sector. He has experience of advising on licence conditions and creating and developing financeable regulated project structures. He has worked on a number of bespoke regulated projects including in the nuclear sector and in the water sector including on Thames Tideway Tunnel and Portsmouth Water in developing a unique form of bulk supply arrangement on the Havant Thicket Project. |
Steve Cirell Steve C has worked in house in the public sector (latterly in a senior position), was an equity partner and in charge of local government work with an international law firm for 20 years and has written 18 books on various aspects of public law. He has advised across renewable projects mainly for local and public authorities. |
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ABOUT SHARPE PRITCHARD
We are a national firm of public law specialists, serving local authorities, other public sector organisations and registered social landlords, as well as commercial clients and the third sector. Our team advises on a wide range of public law matters, spanning electoral law, procurement, construction, infrastructure, data protection and information law, planning and dispute resolution, to name a few key specialisms. All public sector organisations have a route to instruct us through the various frameworks we are appointed to. To find out more about our services, please click here.
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