Local Authority round-up 12/05/23
12th May, 2023
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Commercial
Only a few weeks left to contribute to business valuation consultation
The Valuation Office Agency’s (VOA) consultation on the disclosure of information on business rates valuations, as part of the government’s review of the business rates system, closes on 7 June 2023.
The VOA has invited local authorities to give their views on the proposals.
For more information, and to take part in the consultation, please click here.
Regulatory
Consultation launched on plan to expand storm overflow reduction targets to cover all coasts, estuaries and marine protected sites
The government originally published its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan in August 2022, which set out targets designed to protect people and the environment from storm overflows and will be enshrined in law through the Environment Act 2021.
Defra has now announced that it will shortly be launching a consultation to expand these targets to cover all of Britain’s coasts, estuaries and marine protected sites.
For more information, please click here.
Legislation introduced to permit longer lorries to use British roads
Following a 11-year trial, the government has laid legislation before Parliament new legislation to permit the safe roll out of “longer semi-trailers” (LST) on British roads.
LSTs are up to 2.05 metres longer than a standard semi-trailer, use of which are expected to provide for 8% fewer journeys than current trailers to move the same amount of goods, saving 70,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and 97 tonnes of nitric oxide in the process.
For more information, please click here.
Planning and housing
The Royal Town Planning Institute announces a bursary of £5,000 for 50 young professionals to study a planning masters
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced that it will part-fund a bursary of £5,000 per student, for up to 50 students, in order to encourage more young people to train and work in the planning sector.
The bursary is aimed at disadvantaged students including those who are struggling financially, those with caring responsibilities, or those with disabilities. It is designed to help encourage more diversity in the sector.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming webinar
Webinar series: Data Protection
Register your interest for our on-going webinar series on ‘Data Protection’ for in-house lawyers, DPOs and senior management in private and public sector organisations. The series will run throughout 2023 providing attendees with up to date information on key Data Protection topics. The short one hour sessions will be delivered by our experts with allocated time for you to ask any questions you may have. The next in our series ‘Data Subject Access Requests’ will take place on 16 May 2023.
For more information or to book your place, please click here.
If you have any questions about the issues raised in this update, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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