This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest developments on local government reorganisation, including Hampshire County Council approving next steps towards a potential judicial review challenge and MHCLG discussing LGR in an HCLG Committee evidence session. It also features updates on public procurement, including revised PA 2023 guidance on FTS registration for below-threshold suppliers and the Cabinet Office’s release of PPN 024 on the public interest test and insourcing strategy. This edition includes expert analysis on the Supreme Court's landmark decision in A Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland, which has overruled Cheshire West and replaced the deprivation of liberty ‘acid test’ with a new multifactorial approach, and a case report on Haley v VTE, in which the High Court held that historic council tax listing arrangements were not determinative of annexe discount eligibility. It also includes further updates on Local government reorganisation, Public procurement, Adult social care, Local government finance, Education, Social housing, Governance, Local authority prosecutions, Planning and Healthcare.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes: expert analysis of PA 2023 and key developments since the ‘go live’ and case analyses of R (Anaesthetists United Ltd and others) v GMC, in which the High Court dismissed a claim brought by a doctors' advocacy body against the GMC and Herstmonceux Museum v SSCLG, in which the court underlined the importance of procedural compliance in planning enforcement appeals. Case reports include SSWP v SC; MJ v Bromley LBC, in which the court found no UC entitlement during an overseas absence at the time of decision and X (Father) v Hillingdon LBC, in which the court refused the parents' bid to lift reporting restrictions in a family case. Coverage also includes PAC's report calling for urgent reform of government digital procurement, the Law Commission's proposals for a unified framework for disabled children's social care, MoJ's introduction of the Public Office (Accountability) Bill with a new duty of candour for public officials and an updated Administrative Court Judicial Review Guide 2025 published. It also includes further updates on Healthcare, Social care, Children's social care, Education and Social housing.

The final edition of this year’s Local Government weekly highlights includes news of and expert analyses of the revised National Planning Policy Framework and the English Devolution White Paper. It also includes case analyses on the decisions in Moh v Rimal Properties Ltd and Kelly v Bostall Estates Ltd on how to calculate of time periods in rent repayment orders and RWU v A Governing Body of An Academy on a decision not to reinstate an excluded pupil. Case reports include the Court of Appeal decision in Hackney LBC v Weintraub on the ‘tenant condition’; Kaur v Birmingham City University on a the decision to withdraw immigration sponsorship; Calderdale MBC v Cheshire East BC on LA designation for care proceedings; Leicestershire CC v Amy on a LA’s failure to assess and support deaf parents' ability to care for children by making reasonable adjustments; care homes’ claim against a council concerning unpaid costs of care for residents in The Julie Richardson Ltd v Oxfordshire CC and finally, Hawes v Tower Hamlets LBC on removal of a neighbourhood traffic scheme. This weekly highlights includes further updates on Governance, Social housing, Planning, Education, Children’s social care, Social care, Highways and Local government finance.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest LGR coverage withdrawing the postponement of 30 council elections plus case analysis of Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd v List, in which the Court of Appeal held that a right to use land for advertising at railway stations constitutes a separate hereditament under the Local Government Finance Act 1988, making the advertiser liable for non-domestic rates and R (Luton Landlords & Letting Agents Ltd) v Luton Borough Council, where the Court of Appeal upheld that the claimant lacked standing to challenge housing licensing designations under the Housing Act 2004. It also features expert analysis of Defra’s Water White Paper 2026 and its planning and consenting implications for water infrastructure. This edition includes further updates on Local government finance, Social housing, Planning, Governance, Education, Children’s social care, Adult social care, Licensing, Pensions and Environmental law and climate change.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes: expert analysis on the proposed reforms and implications of modernising planning committees and on the planning reform working paper on reforming site thresholds. Case reports include Norton v Haringey LBC, in which the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal on whether a section 189A housing needs assessment was a condition precedent to determine suitability of offered accommodation under Housing Act 1996; Re H (Care Proceedings: Risk Assessment), in which the Court of Appeal considered an appeal by a LA contesting a family court decision to return a child to her mother under a supervision order; R (CY) v The Independent Review Panel of PQR Academy Trust, in which the court dismissed a judicial review claim by a child challenging the IRP decision to uphold their permanent exclusion from a secondary academy; R (Peacekeepers Foundation) v Liverpool and Knowsley Magistrates Court, in which the court ruled on a judicial review application by PeaceKeepers Foundation against a liability order issued by Liverpool City Council; and R (Clear The Air In Havering) v Havering LBC, in which the court ruled on a judicial review application concerning an LA decision not to designate Arnolds Field site as contaminated land. It also includes further updates on Social housing, Education, Environmental law and climate change, Public procurement and Governance.

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.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes expert analysis of the Court of Appeal’s decision in Bradford v Kazi on fettering of discretion in imposition of civil penalties on landlords; Re Vistry Homes Ltd on challenging planning decisions for residential developments in the Green Belt, focusing on the very special circumstances test and environmental considerations; MAS v ZK addressing the roles of various agencies in repatriating a young person at risk of forced marriage abroad and North Central London ICB v AA and others where the court authorized the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from a patient in a minimally conscious state against his parents’ wishes. Case reports include Fuad Awale v SSJ where the High Court found procedural and equality duty breaches in the treatment of a prisoner held in a Close Supervision Centre; Adegboyega v SSHD concerning deportation and application of immigration policies; Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis v Police Appeals Tribunal involving a challenge by the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis to the decisions made by the Police Appeals Tribunal and, finally, Friends of the Earth Ltd v SSLUHC on a challenge to the government’s approval of a coal mine in Cumbria. This weekly highlights also includes further updates on Social housing, Children's social care, Social Care, Judicial review, Governance, Public procurement, Education, Healthcare and Local government finance.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest coverage on local government reorganisation, including MHCLG publishing implementation letters for Suffolk; Norfolk; Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton; and Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, as well as the latest coverage on public procurement including the reorganisation of public procurement oversight with the launch of the Government Commercial Agency, the Cabinet Office publishing the government response to the consultation on public procurement reforms and a new Contract Management Playbook. Case analysis includes Titchfield v SSHCLG on the Court of Appeal’s clarification of section 57(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 ‘counterfactual’ in planning enforcement cases and Barbican Quarter Organisation Ltd v City of London Corporation on why an environmental impact assessment separation breach did not invalidate planning permission for London Wall West. Case reports include the decision in BZP v Warwickshire CC, confirming that an EHCP could specify a ‘small class’ without fixing a precise pupil ratio and LM v Birmingham CC, confirming that a lower-cost placement may be preferred for an EHCP where it meets needs and is compatible with the efficient use of resources. It also includes further updates on Local government reorganisation, Public procurement, Planning, Education, Governance, Social housing, Healthcare, Children’s social care, Adult social care and Pensions.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest coverage on local government reorganisation, including Norfolk County Council submitting a judicial review over the government's proposed reorganisation in Norfolk and Suffolk County Council agreeing to pursue a legal challenge to the Secretary of State's reorganisation decision in Suffolk. It also includes the latest coverage on public procurement including the Cabinet Office publishing updated National Security Unit for Procurement guidance with a new national security debarment protocol summary as well as updated national security exclusions guidance. Case analysis includes ZHB v Cardiff CC on the obligations and procedural safeguards imposed by Article 8 ECHR in age assessments of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and Home Secretary v Ammori, in which the Court of Appeal gave important guidance on the interpretation of government policy, the application of proportionality in national security cases and the margin of appreciation accorded to executive decision-making. It also includes expert analysis of amendments to the Family Procedure Rules on the regulation of experts and communication of information from proceedings and further updates on Local government reorganisation, Public procurement, Children's social care, Judicial review, Social housing, Education, Adult social care, Local government finance, Licensing, Planning and Pensions.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes expert analyses on the decisions in Ghaoui v LB Waltham Forest concerning suitability of accommodation and human rights and religious freedom in retaining children in a local faith school, and Luton Borough Council v G on travel guidance with a risk of future forced marriage. Case reports include an appeal for a fact finding hearing in care proceedings to make safeguarding plans for children in P and E (Care Proceedings: whether to hold Fact-Finding Hearing); KRA v Cheshire East Council in which the court ordered the Council to provide Children’s Act 1989 accommodation and support, after treating a Sudanese asylum seeker as adult and placing them in adult accommodation; dismissal of an appeal challenging the decision on entitlement to the child element of Universal Credit in Simkova v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions; Leicester City Council v HC concerning care placement and deprivation of liberty of a person suffering from atypical anorexia; Worcestershire County Council v Pain allowing an appeal against conviction for failure to comply with notices served under section 24 of the Land Drainage Act 1991; and finally, Gary Ball v Hinckley & Bosworth Council in which an appeal against LA power to vary an abatement notice was allowed. This weekly highlights also includes further updates on Social housing, Education, Children's social care, Social care, Healthcare, Governance, Licensing, Planning and Environmental law and climate change.

This week’s edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes: case analysis of Fatolahzadeh v LB of Barnet, where the local authority successfully defended a Housing Act 1996 (HA 1996) appeal on suitability of accommodation offered in performance of the prevention duty; R (Begum) v LB Tower Hamlets, in which the court confirmed that the council homeless database did not indirectly discriminate against women; Mole Valley DC v Secretary of State & Meloney regarding statutory interpretation of the updated NPPF and NPPTS; Enlli Angharad Williams v Gwynedd, clarifying the limits of Article 4 directions over use class changes in Wales. Case reports include R (Nabeel-Dib Hammad) v Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea in which the court found a breach of duty under HA 1996 to house the homeless claimant; Page v Information Commissioner, in which the Tribunal upheld prior findings that the appellant was not entitled to copies of lesson materials under Freedom of Information Act 2000 when these had already been delivered; R (CKT and DGT) v Twyford Church of England Academies Trust on the intersection of faith-based admissions and racial equality duties; Cardiff Council v X, in which the UT found the ETW erroneously applied an outdated legal framework and Wigan Council v PAG Ltd; Trafford Council v PAG Ltd in which the High Court rejected the NNDR avoidance scheme and confirmed liability remained with property owner. It also includes expert analysis of the government intention to introduce a new quality assurance framework for unregistered alternative provision. It also includes further updates on Social housing, Education, Planning, Local government finance, Public procurement, Governance, Healthcare, Social Care, Licensing and Environmental law and climate change.

This week's edition of Local Government weekly highlights includes the latest public procurement developments, including updated Procurement Oversight Guidance reflecting the role of the Procurement Compliance Service and Procurement Compliance and Oversight, and the decision in Ecolog International v Defence Secretary, on the limited scope of implied tender contract obligations. Case analysis includes Manaquel v Lambeth LBC, confirming that appeals against improvement notices are judged by reference to the date of service, not the hearing date. It also includes key developments in social housing and children’s social care, including the £442 million package to tackle rough sleeping by Christmas 2026, Home Office NRPF guidance for local authorities, and updated local offer guidance for care leavers. Further updates include Planning, Children’s social care, Education and Adult social care.