Local Authority round-up: 08/03/24
7th March, 2024
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
Spring Budget 2024: key reforms to the public sector
Public Sector Productivity Programme
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- The Government is committing £4.2 billion of funding to improve the productivity of the public sector. This includes £3.4 billion of additional Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit from 2025‑26 as part of the NHS’s productivity plan in England.
Police Productivity and Technology
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- The Government is investing £230 million into the police force to pilot technology such as live facial recognition, automation and the use of drones as first responders. The Government has also promised to establish a Centre for Police Productivity.
Expanding counter fraud capability through deploying AI
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- The Government announced an additional £34 million to expand the Public Sector Fraud Authority by deploying AI to help combat fraud.
For more information please click here.
Planning and Housing
Government announces changes to SDLT for public bodies
As part of the Spring 2024 Budget, the Government has announced several changes to the rules, under the Finance Act 2003, concerning acquisitions of land by registered providers of social housing, as well as public bodies.
Importantly, public bodies have been removed from the scope of the 15% Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) charge on acquisitions of residential property worth more than £500,000. These measures will apply to land transactions with an effective date on or after 6 March 2024.
The amendments will also update the list of public subsidies to include public grants which have been permitted to be retained and recycled to qualify for the exemption to SDLT.
It is hoped that these changes will reduce the tax burden on public bodies and providers of social housing ensuring that public money is utilised to its maximum effect.
For more information please click here.
Government invest £208 million to ‘level up’ the North
The Government has announced, during the Convention of the North, that they will invest £208 million to ‘transform’ Northern towns and cities.
In Blackpool, £90 million will be used to build new homes and renovate low-quality properties as part of a major regeneration scheme led by Homes England and Blackpool Town Council. Liverpool will receive £31 million to support (among others) the development of office space and new laboratory facilities at Paddington Village in the Knowledge Quarter.
This funding forms part of the Government’s plan to level up communities and seeks to demonstrate a commitment to the North.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Health and Wellbeing – Supporting those who are grieving in the workplace
On Tuesday 26th March, between 10am and 11.30am, we are hosting a Health and Wellbeing webinar in collaboration with Recovery4Life. During this session we will be joined by a panel of experts including (among others) John Devitt, CEO of Recovery4Life, and Andy Langford, Clinical Director for Cruse Bereavement Support, who will discuss the topic of grief, providing practical advice to assist employers in supporting employees who may be grieving.
To register your place, please click here.
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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