Food safety and hygiene offences

Welsh Government publishes report on energy generation and use in Wales

The Welsh Government has published its first combined ‘Energy Generation and Use in Wales’ report, setting out trends in energy generation and consumption and progress towards national renewable energy targets. In a written statement, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans MS, states that the latest data demonstrates continued progress across renewable technologies and reflects Wales’s long-term ambition to meet all annual electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2035.

Local Government weekly highlights—19 March 2026

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest developments on local government reorganisation, including MHCLG implementation guidance and the Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026. It includes case analysis of Wildfish v Buckinghamshire Council, in which the Court of Appeal ruled on the interpretation of reserved matters and section 73 amendments and a case report on UW v Cheam Academies Network, in which the UT found the FTT erred in concluding it had no jurisdiction to consider claims of failure to make reasonable adjustments in relation to behaviour policy. This edition includes further updates on Local government reorganisation, Planning, Education, Governance, Children’s social care, Adult social care, Healthcare, Social housing, Licensing, and Environmental law and climate change.

MHCLG and DfT table amendments to expand community powers under English Devolution Bill

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Transport (DfT) have tabled amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill to shift more power to local leaders and communities. The measures include new powers to protect local spaces, shape high streets, and celebrate culture. They also seek to make streets safer by enabling enforcement against dangerous pavement parking outside London and by strengthening taxi and private hire vehicle licensing standards. The amendments extend the Community Right to Buy listing period from five to ten years and allow action against the concentration of gambling premises. They also introduce Local Scrutiny Committees to increase the accountability of regional mayors. Mayors will gain powers over arts, heritage, and the creative industries, and will be able to appoint commissioners. The package includes £150 million to support high streets and extends the Pride in Place programme to 284 neighbourhoods. These measures build on the Road Safety Strategy published in January 2026 and are intended to improve accessibility for wheelchair users, people with visual impairments and parents with pushchairs.

Defra publishes England's first Land Use Framework

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published England’s first Land Use Framework, setting out a national approach for government, landowners and planners to use land more effectively to support housing, food production, environmental protection and infrastructure. The Framework establishes a strategic, evidence-based plan to improve long-term resilience and address inefficiencies caused by fragmented decision-making, concluding that housing delivery, clean energy, nature recovery and food security can be achieved concurrently through more efficient and multifunctional land use. It sets out a long-term vision to 2030 and 2050, supported by four principles multifunctionality, right use in the right place, future-ready decisions and adaptability to guide decision-making without prescribing specific land uses.