Local Government weekly highlights—7 August 2025
This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes: case analysis of Cetin v Epping Forest DC, in which the UT found that a residential letting agent instructed on a ‘let only’ basis to let a room in an HMO and no further involvement after the first instalment of rent on the day of letting is not a ‘person managing’ the HMO under section 263(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Case reports include R (Anisa Begum) v LBTH Shelter, in which the Court of Appeal rejected an indirect discrimination claim over temporary housing allocation; Abdelrahman v Mayor and Burgesses of LB of Islington, in which the Court of Appeal upheld the council’s succession policy finding its interpretation of ‘stepchild’ valid and ECHR compliant; Westminster CC v Gems House Residences Chiltern Street Ltd, in which the court found that Westminster CC was not entitled to enforce an affordable housing covenant and A & E Baines v North Yorkshire CC, in which the High Court upheld the lawfulness of the council’s consultation and decision-making process for four TRO’s in the Harrogate Station Gateway Scheme. It also includes coverage of updates to the Affordable Homes Programme 2021–2026 guidance, reflecting a new £1.2bn bridge fund allocation; the introduction of new legal duties for English universities to promote academic freedom and protect free speech, enforceable by the OfS from 1 August 2025; the DfE improvement notice issued to Reading Borough Council following Ofsted’s findings of weaknesses in multi-agency support for children affected by domestic abuse and CQC enforcement action against seven adult social care providers. It includes further updates on Social housing, Education, Children’s social care, Social care and Environmental law and climate change.