- Local Government weekly highlights—17 December 2020
- In this issue:
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Governance
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers face a steep increase and a new strain emerges
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—updated local authority powers to enforce restrictions
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—self-isolation period reduced to ten days
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—nine more Nightingale courts to open
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—testing strategy for international arrivals announced
- Cultural institutions awarded £165m in repayable finance amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—guidance on Test to Release scheme published
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- Coronavirus—higher-level restrictions announced in Wales
- Wales sets out new coronavirus (COVID-19) policy
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—proposals published on impact on Welsh speaking groups
- Welsh Government praises local authority and third sector during coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Welsh Government announces updated coronavirus (COVID-19) control plan
- Guidance published on identifying children of critical workers in Wales
- Welsh Government issues advice for forming a Christmas bubble amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (All Tiers) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1533
- Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation and Linked Households) (England) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1518
- Business Tenancies (Protection from Forfeiture: Relevant Period) (Coronavirus) (England) (No 3) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1472
- Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Public Health Information) (England) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1517
- Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 4) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1522
- Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Public Health Information to Travellers) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1521
- Business Tenancies (Extension of Protection from Forfeiture etc) (Wales) (Coronavirus) (No 3) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1456
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Healthcare
- Statement released by Health and Social Care’s secretary on coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Valneva commencing fifth coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine trial in UK
- Nursing and midwifery professionals join the coronavirus (COVID-19) temporary register
- 67 local authorities begin enhanced coronavirus (COVID-19) testing
- ICO Sandbox helps sign volunteers up to coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine research
- NAO reports government's approach to coronavirus (COVID-19) test and trace
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—DCMS unveils £4m fund to tackle loneliness
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—guidance on tests before hospital procedures
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Wales unveils framework of actions to protect NHS
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—guidance on safely singing in Wales over Christmas
- Personal Protective Equipment (Temporary Arrangements) (Coronavirus) (England) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1484
- Personal Protective Equipment (Temporary Arrangements) (Coronavirus) (Wales) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1483
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Education
- DfE launches consultation on keeping children safe in education amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing to be deployed weekly across secondary schools and colleges
- Higher education institutions emerge relatively unscathed amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—DfE details higher education restructuring regime
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—DfE publishes remote education resources
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—DfE updates guidance for reopening specialist schools
- Statutory guidance on early years foundation stage updated due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Serial testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) in schools in Wales from January 2021
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Welsh Government announces move to online learning
- Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (School Premises and Further Education Institution Premises) (Wales) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1524
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Social care
- Welsh Government to begin piloting coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines in care homes
- CQC coronavirus (COVID-19) report looks at regional data on designated settings
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—updated guidance for care homes
- Welsh coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance on discharge to social care setting updated
- Social Security Contributions (Disregarded Payments) (Coronavirus) (No 2) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1523
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Children's social care
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—third Ofsted report on impact of pandemic on children
- Guidance on testing children and staff in children's homes for coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Ofsted reports on November 2020 findings amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Tax Credits, Childcare Payments and Childcare (Extended Entitlement) (Coronavirus and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1515
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Social housing
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—new measures released to level up England’s cities
- Emergency legislation enacted to suspend evictions in Wales amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Welsh Government publishes statement on protection from eviction amid coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—renting guidance updated with reduced isolation period
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Planning
- Planning Applications (Temporary Modifications and Disapplication) (No 3) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Order 2020, SI 2020/1516
- Brexit
- Retained EU law―a practical guide
- Food safety and hygiene after IP completion day
- Preparing local government—updated Brexit transition guidance from MHCLG
- Betting and gaming duties—new Brexit transition guidance from HMRC
- Public procurement
- Government consults on plans to ‘transform’ public procurement
- Procurement Policy Note highlights key changes to the public procurement rules after Brexit transition
- Procurement Policy Note outlines options for reserving procurement of below-threshold contracts after the Brexit transition
- Governance
- Property guardians are not in rateable occupation of the buildings they occupy (Southwark London Borough Council v Ludgate House)
- Court held that there was no basis for interfering with the local authority’s decision to install sprinkler systems in tower blocks—R (on the application of Clarke) v Birmingham City Council
- MHCLG issues guide on dealing with applications for relaxation of restrictions on public sector exit payments
- Consultation launched on budget proposals for London
- Briefing paper on gender recognition reform published
- Law Commission announces proposals to reform devolved Welsh tribunals
- Rent Officers (Housing Benefit and Universal Credit Functions) (Modification) Order 2020, SI 2020/1519
- Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (No 4) Order 2020, SI 2020/1459
- Education
- Graduate wellbeing survey reflects outcome of graduate’s life satisfaction
- Guidance on removal of funding approval from qualifications published
- OIA provides updated guidance on requests for additional consideration
- OfS seeks views on regulatory requirements for higher education providers
- Ofqual launches consultation on advanced information before 2021 exams
- OfS launches consultation on future of Uni Connect programme
- OfS releases analysis on access and continuation rates in higher education
- Report commends Early Years Local Government Programme
- New Higher Education Policy Institute report on climate change
- Social care
- London Borough of Harrow to pay £300 to resident following complaint
- New £46m ‘Changing future’ scheme to help vulnerable people across England
- CQC publishes second part of independent review into regulation of Whorlton Hall
- Call for evidence launched on tacking violence against women and girls
- Children's social care
- Court held it was in child’s best interests for adoption order to be made and this outweighed any public policy argument in favour of adhering to strict statutory construction—Re A (a child) (adoption time limits s 44(3))
- Ombudsman reports on Birmingham City Council foster care dispute
- Concerns raised about virtual child protection conferences
- Family Justice Board issues statement on priorities
- Family Procedure Rule Committee consultation on service and matrimonial and civil partnership proceedings
- Ombudsman report highlights experiences of children let down by care system
- Healthcare
- Government announces £600m investment to refurbish and upgrade NHS hospitals
- Government commits to tackling gender pay gap disparities following review
- Digital Health and Care Wales (Establishment and Membership) Order 2020, SI 2020/1451
- Digital Health and Care Wales (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1469
- Social housing
- Although flat was overcrowded the review officer had failed to consider certain aspects of the tenancy in determining whether the flat was ‘settled’ accommodation—Bullale v City of Westminster Council
- Extra support to assist rough sleepers recovering from alcohol or drug misuse
- Call for extra funding to help London homelessness
- LGA calls on government to improve housing delivery system
- EAC requests information on improvements to the Green Homes Grant scheme
- HE publishes renewed land disposal DPS
- Highways
- High Court upholds experimental traffic order in the City of London despite deciding that procedural failures occurred (Tomkins v City of London Corp)
- Successful appeal challenge following rejection to add a public bridleway because all tests for substantial severability were met—Craggs v Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Planning
- Supreme Court finds designation of Airports National Policy Statement lawful (Friends of the Earth v SoST)
- New and updated content
- Updated Practice Notes
- Updated Checklist
- Dates for your diary
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Article summary
This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the usual legislation, updated guidance and news on coronavirus (COVID-19), including its impact on governance, healthcare, education, children’s social care, social care, social housing and planning. Brexit also dominates as IP completion date approaches. Brexit related updates include updated analysis on retained EU law and analysis of how food safety and hygiene laws will change after the end of the Brexit transition period. There have been a number of key public procurement developments this week, with the publication of the long awaited Green Paper on reform of the regime and two new procurement policy notes for public procurement post IP completion day. In other developments we have numerous case analyses, including on Tomkins v City of London Corp, Southwark LBC v Ludgate House and Friends of the Earth v SoST; case reports on R (on the application of Clarke) v Birmingham CC, Re A (a child) (adoption time limits, s 44(3)), Bullale v City of Westminster Council and Craggs v SoS for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The weekly highlights also includes further Brexit, public procurement, governance, education, children’s social care, social care, healthcare, social housing, highways and planning updates.
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