Local Authority round-up 06/09/24
6th September, 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.
Planning and Housing
Grenfell report recommends new regulation for the construction industry and local government
The final report into the Grenfell Tower tragedy has condemned failures by the Government, building contractors, fire safety experts and the Council which led to the high rise tower fire in west London on 14th June 2017.
The report made a number of recommendations to the Government and Local Authorities including (among others):
The responsibility for the functions relating to fire safety currently exercised by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business and Trade should be consolidated into one department under a single Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State responsible for fire safety should then appoint a Chief Construction Adviser with a sufficient budget and staff to provide advice on all matters affecting the construction industry, including monitoring the Building Regulations and statutory guidance.
The report also recommended the creation of a new regulator for the construction industry to, for example, oversee the licensing of contractors on higher-risk buildings.
For more information please click here.
Education
Government to scrap single headline Ofsted grades
The Government has announced that single headline Ofsted grades for schools will be disregarded with immediate effect. Instead, for this academic year, parents will see four grades across the existing sub-categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership & management.
It is hoped that this reform will pave the way for the introduction of School Report Cards from September 2025, which will provide parents with a full and comprehensive assessment of how schools are performing and ensure that inspections are more effective in driving improvement.
The Government has argued that single headline grades fail to provide a fair and accurate assessment of overall school performance and are supported by a minority of parents and teachers.
From early 2025, the Government will also introduce Regional Improvement Teams that will work with struggling schools to quickly and directly address areas of weakness.
These reforms seek to break down barriers to opportunity and aim to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to improving the life chances of young people.
For more information please click here.
Regulatory
Local authorities and their Article 2 duty to safeguard citizens
In the case of Parkin v HM Assistant Coroner Inner London (East) and others, the Court considered the circumstances which give rise to the State’s enhanced Article 2 duty, namely the obligation to take appropriate steps to safeguard citizens.
The inquest involved a 78-year-old lady, a known hoarder, who died at home from smoke inhalation which was likely caused from a discarded cigarette setting her sofa alight.
It has been said that, prior to her death, the deceased was reluctant to engage with Local Authority social services, and was assessed as having capacity to make decisions regarding her wellbeing.
Following her death, the Coroner ruled that Article 2 was not engaged on the basis that the deceased was deemed to have capacity to make her own decisions and was entitled to exercise her own free will. The fact that public authorities had interacted with her, and offered their support, did not alone engage Article 2.
The Court agreed with this view, stating that as the deceased did not lack capacity, she would have been aware of the risks caused by disregarding cigarettes, which, according to the Judge, was an ordinary risk. The responsibility for dealing with such ordinary risks, the Court ruled, rested with individuals, as opposed to the State. As such no Article 2 duty was owed.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Data Protection – The use of private messaging apps at work
Join our experts on Thursday 12th September between 12pm-1pm for the second webinar in our 2024 ‘Data Protection’ series, focusing on ‘the use of private messaging apps at work’.
Our commercial specialists will cover the following:
- Corporate liability for things said and done by employees on private messaging apps;
- Measures to put in place with employees to control private messaging use;
- Private messaging and Article 28 of UK GDPR;
- Private messaging and subject access requests;
- Recent case law on the use of private messaging apps at work; and
- Q&A Session: An opportunity for attendees to engage with our experts and clarify any queries or concerns.
To register your place please click here.
Maximising the UK’s immigration system in tech recruitment
On Tuesday 24th September, between 9am – 10:30am, at our Leeds office to discuss how your business can be well-prepared to leverage the full potential of the UK’s immigration system. Our experts will be discussing:
- Understanding Skilled Worker sponsorship
- Strategic Responses to Policy Changes
- Financial Planning for Increased Costs
- Exploring Options for Exceptional Talent
- Maintaining Compliance
To register your place please click here.
Health and Wellbeing Conference
This year’s Health and Wellbeing Conference, led by Jamie Gamble, is taking place on Wednesday 2nd October between 8:30am – 1:00pm at Newcastle Building Society. The expert panel will offer insights into how targeted health and wellbeing initiatives can enhance workforce performance and productivity. In particular, the session will cover:
- Live Well, Work Well
- Adapting the workplace health and wellbeing offer to our organisation
- The future is yours to craft – a more personalised approach to wellbeing
- Financial wellbeing and financial education
- Creating supportive, empowering cultures
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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