Public order

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This subtopic outlines the main powers available to local authorities (LAs) to keep public order in their areas and tackle incidents and patterns of anti-social actions. It covers:

  1. •

    the remedies contained in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (ABCPA 2014)

  2. •

    general power to prosecute, defend or appear in any legal proceedings contained in section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972 (LGA 1972)

  3. •

    non-statutory enforcement powers specific to LAs

  4. •

    LA power to create byelaws

  5. •

    common law powers

Remedies contained in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (ABCPA 2014)

ABCPA 2014 received Royal Assent on 13 March 2014 and has reformed the tools available to LAs, police and other agencies for dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB). The aim of the legislation was to consolidate remedies and to make the process simpler and more effective. In July 2014, the government issued new statutory guidance which is regularly updated—Reform of anti-social behaviour powers: statutory guidance for frontline professionals.

The Home Office published the Anti-social behaviour principles developed by the Anti-social Behaviour Strategic Board to describe a consistent approach

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Latest Local Government News

New Cabinet Office dashboards track implementation of public inquiry recommendations

The Cabinet Office has published a new collection gathering details of public inquiry recommendations made since 2024, and the government's responses, providing a new resource for tracking government actions and implementation. The collection entitled ‘Public Inquiries: Recommendations and the Government Response’ will provide access to interactive dashboards for each public inquiry, recording inquiry recommendations and the government’s commitments in response to those recommendations, plus updates on their implementation by the departments/bodies responsible. At launch, the collection includes dashboards for the Infected Blood Inquiry report of 20 May 2024 and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report of 4 September 2024. The dashboards will be updated periodically to record implementation progress. Additional dashboards will also be added in due course. Recommendations made by the Infected Blood Inquiry additional report of 9 July 2025 will be included in the next update, as well as the recommendations of the UK Covid 19 Inquiry (Module 1) report.

Need to undertake holistic risk assessment. Section 31 of the Children Act 1989—Care orders. Adoption and Children Act 2002 (Re H)

Local Government analysis: This Court of Appeal judgment provides a reminder to judge’s when making final care orders (or declining to do so as in this case) of the need to undertake a careful and holistic risk assessment within any final judgment. The judgment is a clear reminder of the need to assess risk with reference to the facts and as set against the welfare checklist and to properly analyse all parts of the evidence heard and illustrate this in the judgement. The court determined that the evaluation required a careful analysis of the evidence which regrettably was not carried out in this case. Written by Hannah Markham KC, head of team at 36 Family.

Ofsted updates multi-agency information sharing agreement

Ofsted has announced updates to its information sharing agreement with other inspectorates. The revised agreement includes clarity improvements and additional signatories. The agreement covers information sharing between Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services , HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Key planning provisions in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill

Planning analysis: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 10 July 2025 and is awaiting a second reading. The Bill gives legislative effect to the government’s ambitions to reintroduce strategic planning across England and create a consistent framework for devolved powers. This analysis looks at the key planning provisions of the Bill, alongside the background to its introduction and the potential implications for the planning and development sector.

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