Legal News Articles
Staff shortages putting care for children at risk (28 April 2017)
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has published a report expressing concerns that a lack of paediatric doctors and nurses across the UK means that care for children is at risk Read more...
New study suggests that GPs are failing to diagnose cancer (28 April 2017)
A study funded by Cancer Research UK has revealed that 71% of cancer patients in the UK are diagnosed in A&E, despite having visited their GP at least once to discuss their symptoms. The research, which has been described as the most comprehensive to date, was recently published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) Read more...
£3,175 penalty for waste carrier who fly-tipped in area of outstanding natural beauty (28 April 2017)
Canterbury City Council has prosecuted a licensed waste carrier, after an investigation by city council enforcement officers uncovered fly-tipping in an area of outstanding natural beauty Read more...
Nearly 5,000 properties bought using Help to Buy Wales since 2014 (28 April 2017)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children’s Secretary Carl Sargeant has welcomed new figures which show that, since the introduction of the Help to Buy Wales scheme in 2014, a total of 4,949 property purchases were completed using a Welsh Government Help to Buy Wales shared equity loan Read more...
Construction firm prosecuted over contractor’s fatal head injury (28 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a construction company following the death of a worker Read more...
London Assembly urges Mayor to attack FGM in London (28 April 2017)
The London Assembly has urged London mayor Sadiq Khan to tackle the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the capital Read more...
Mind calls for “meaningful change” after recent success of London Marathon highlighting mental health issues (28 April 2017)
The CEO of mental health charity Mind says that, following the promotional success of the London Marathon in raising awareness of mental health issues, it is now time to translate that success into “meaningful change” for the one in four people living with mental health problems Read more...
£86,000 penalty for owner and site manager of illegal waste site which stored asbestos without permit (28 April 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted a Cornwall-based waste disposal company for illegally storing asbestos Read more...
Powys offers road safety courses to motorcyclists and mature drivers (28 April 2017)
Powys County Council has announced a number of initiatives to help motorcyclists ride safely with funding from the Welsh government Read more...
North Devon wins £433,000 of government funding to help victims of domestic abuse (28 April 2017)
North Devon Council has announced that local district councils are to receive £433,000 of government funding to help victims of domestic abuse in the area Read more...
Kent County Council rolls out new school services for physical and mental health care (28 April 2017)
Kent County Council is rolling out new school health services, which will see greater access to support for children and young people with physical and mental health issues Read more...
North Tyneside Council hold event for people interested in adoption and fostering (28 April 2017)
North Tyneside Council adoption and fostering service are encouraging individuals, couples and families to come forward to find out more about the process Read more...
Harrow Council hoping to take action against letting agent that allowed as many as forty people to live in a three-bedroom property (27 April 2017)
Harrow Council’s enforcement officers discovered over 17 people living in a three-bedroom house with only one bathroom, and it is believed that there could have been up to 40 people living in the property prior to the raid Read more...
£100m compensation pay outs from the NHS in the North East (27 April 2017)
NHS trusts in the North East paid out over £100m on clinical negligence claims between 2014 and 2016, official data has revealed Read more...
Patient has been waiting almost four years to leave hospital amid “delayed discharge” scandal (27 April 2017)
It has been reported that a hospital patient has been waiting almost four years to be released from hospital, despite being declared “fit for discharge” Read more...
British Medical Association urges politicians to focus on NHS in snap election (27 April 2017)
The British Medical Association (BMA) is urging politicians to adopt the NHS crisis into their pre-general election manifestos Read more...
Environment Agency and police arrest two people and question a third over dumping (27 April 2017)
The Environment Agency and police have carried out five dawn raids, following an in-depth investigation into the illegal dumping of waste Read more...
Waltham Forest Council completes first of 207 new council homes (27 April 2017)
Waltham Forest Council in east London has announced that the first new properties have been completed as part of a major council house building programme in Waltham Forest Read more...
Hartlepool service of remembrance for those killed at work (27 April 2017)
Hartlepool Council has announced that a service of remembrance is being held in memory of those killed or workers injured in workplace accidents Read more...
£1,000 penalty for homeowners who breached noise abatement notices (27 April 2017)
York City Council has prosecuted two dog owners, after noise made by their dogs – including barking and howling – caused a nuisance to residents nearby Read more...
Thurrock Council prosecutes woman for Blue Badge fraud (26 April 2017)
Thurrock Council in Essex has prosecuted a woman from Purfleet for fraudulent use of a disabled persons parking badge Read more...
Extra A&E funding will help to ease pressure on departments “in time for next winter” (26 April 2017)
The government has said that the additional £55.98 million in funding for A&E departments announced on Friday (21/04/17) will help to ease pressure on emergency departments in time for next winter Read more...
Welsh government announces guarantee on EU student funding for 2018-2019 (26 April 2017)
The Welsh Assembly has announced that EU students studying in Wales who are currently in receipt of student loans from Student Finance Wales 2018-2019 will remain eligible for support from loans and grants Read more...
12-year bankruptcy order for Gwent man who ran failed £8.5m spread betting scheme (26 April 2017)
A Cardiff man who ran a failed £8.5 million spread betting scheme has been prosecuted after an Insolvency Service investigation Read more...
Directors of a former Bournemouth-based credit union disqualified (26 April 2017)
An Insolvency Service investigation has resulted in three directors of a former Bournemouth-based credit union being disqualified after the company went into administration owing more than £7 million Read more...
Private landlord prosecuted for illegal eviction and breaching Prohibition Order (26 April 2017)
Peterborough City Council has prosecuted a private landlord for breaching health and safety regulations and evicting a tenant illegally Read more...
£8,500 penalty for supplying illicit and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco (26 April 2017)
Thurrock Council in Essex has prosecuted a retailer in Grays for supplying illicit and dangerous cigarettes and tobacco Read more...
Nottinghamshire County Council prosecuted after member of the public suffers crush injuries in park (26 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted Nottinghamshire County Council, after a disabled member of the public was struck by a vehicle used for collecting branches and sustained crush injuries Read more...
Amidst the housing crisis 200,000 homes in England lie empty (25 April 2017)
Government data has found that more than 200,000 homes in England were empty for at least six months during 2016. The properties collect a total value of £43bn, with London being the worst affected city, followed by Birmingham. The properties are lying empty despite Britain’s on going housing crisis, and the shortage of properties to rent and buy. Read more...
Criminals beware, Big Brother may now be monitoring you (25 April 2017)
As of the 20th March 2017, Magistrates and Judges now have the option to attach an additional electronic GPS monitoring requirement when making a community order or imposing a suspended sentence Read more...
“Dangerous extremists” to be separated from mainstream prison population (25 April 2017)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that dangerous extremists are to be separated from the mainstream prison population – with three separation centres forming part of the wider government strategy to tackle extremism in prisons Read more...
Directors of online loan brokerage firm disqualified for total of 18 years for failing to deliver up adequate accounts (25 April 2017)
The directors of an Internet loan brokerage firm have been disqualified for a total of 18 years, following an Insolvency Service Company Investigations probe into the affairs of the company Read more...
Children and vulnerable patients missing out on dental treatment because NHS charge exemptions are “poorly signposted” (25 April 2017)
The British Dental Association (BDA) has said that children and vulnerable patients risk losing out on access to free NHS dental treatment because of poor promotion and signposting of NHS charge exemptions Read more...
£830 penalty for fly-tipping polystyrene in rural spot (25 April 2017)
Buckinghamshire County Council has prosecuted the driver of a van who dumped polystyrene materials at Iver in Buckinghamshire Read more...
Tax-Free Childcare launched for parents of children under four years (25 April 2017)
Tax-Free Childcare for children under the age of four has been launched from this week, meaning that working parents can start applying for two new government childcare schemes launching this year: Tax-Free Childcare, which begins immediately – and 30 hours of free childcare, which starts in September Read more...
Nottinghamshire resident handed CBO for anti-social behaviour (25 April 2017)
Newark and Sherwood District Council in Nottinghamshire has prosecuted a Newark resident with a long track record of anti-social behaviour Read more...
Darlington Borough Council consults on proposed changes to children’s SureStart centres (25 April 2017)
Darlington Borough Council in County Durham, northeast England, is inviting families who use SureStart children’s centres in Darlington to comment on proposed changes to the way the services are offered Read more...
Syrian families host cultural event in Welsh town of Ystradgynlais to increase awareness of their culture (25 April 2017)
Powys County Council has said that Syrian refugees settling in the area have hosted a cultural event in Ystradgynlais, to raise awareness of their culture, religion and food Read more...
Leader of Nottingham City Council calls for mandatory minimum jail sentences for knife crime (25 April 2017)
The Leader of Nottingham City Council has called for the government to introduce mandatory minimum prison sentences for knife crime, after an 18-year-old man was fatally stabbed on Good Friday Read more...
CQC inspections find four out of 32 dental practices in England “not meeting standards” (25 April 2017)
Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors have published reports on 32 dental practices in England, including practices in central London and across the whole country Read more...
£9,500 penalty for running illegal waste site (21 April 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted a Gateshead man, after he illegally stored waste at a site and then abandoned it Read more...
Sentence uplift for ringleader of transphobic attack, as two are convicted and jailed (21 April 2017)
Aylesbury Crown Court has jailed two males who carried out a violent, transphobic robbery on a man in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire Read more...
Welsh Assembly announced £1 million of capital funding for Flying Start projects in Wales (21 April 2017)
The Welsh government has announced that more than £1 million has been allocated to 33 Flying Start projects across Wales, to help them improve their facilities Read more...
£256,000 penalty after gas worker is left paralysed after spinal fracture in work accident (21 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an Essex-based gas infrastructure company, after an employee suffered serious injury when a pipe fell into the trench he was working in and struck him, resulting in a fractured spine and other serious injuries Read more...
London landlords fined for instances of disrepair (21 April 2017)
A rogue landlord has been ordered to pay almost £250,000 after illegally renting properties in extreme disrepair Read more...
Asylum seekers repeatedly housed in the poorest parts of Britain (20 April 2017)
An analysis of Home Office Data undertaken by the Guardian has revealed that 57% of all asylum seekers housed by the government are housed in the poorest third of Britain Read more...
Prince William and Prince Harry are praised by mental health experts for breaking taboos (20 April 2017)
Prince Harry recently revealed that he sought counselling after “bottling up” his grief about his mother’s death for 20 years Read more...
Medway Council’s Early Help Strategy “helping more families” (20 April 2017)
Medway Council in Kent says it is making good progress in supporting local families, following the expansion of Medway’s Early Help strategy Read more...
Operator of waste site recieves eight-month jail term for environmental offences (20 April 2017)
The operator of a waste site in Sittingbourne, Kent has been imprisoned for eight months for the illegal disposal, sorting and treatment of construction demolition waste Read more...
Man who stabbed friend to death pleads guilty to murder (20 April 2017)
A 22-year-old man who stabbed one of his friends to death has pleaded guilty to murder at Carlisle Crown Court Read more...
Companies House announces changes to UK anti-money laundering measures (20 April 2017)
Companies House has announced that there will be changes to existing anti-money laundering measures, beginning on 26 June 2017 Read more...
Wine dealer conman convicted on 22 counts of fraud (20 April 2017)
A bogus wine dealer has been convicted on 22 counts of fraud at Snaresbrook Crown Court in northeast London, after he defrauded his girlfriend and other clients of £100,000 by pretending he was a successful international businessman Read more...
£3m challenge announced to develop re-supply technology to frontline troops and improve safety (20 April 2017)
Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin has announced that £3 million is on offer to academics and industry from all sectors to produce cutting-edge re-supply technology to troops serving on the frontline, in the next stage of the Innovation Autonomy Challenge Read more...
Cornwall Council checks reveal seven out of ten child car seats “not fitted correctly” (20 April 2017)
Cornwall Trading Standards and Community Fire and Road Safety officers have found that seven out of ten child car seats were not fitted correctly when examined at free car seat safety checks throughout Cornwall Read more...
£1,500 penalty for van owner who sold van with rubbish inside that was later fly-tipped (20 April 2017)
Buckinghamshire County Council has prosecuted a Berkshire resident who sold his van to a new owner, who then fly-tipped waste left in the van by Johnson in Iver, Buckinghamshire Read more...
London’s homeless families are being forced out of the capital (19 April 2017)
Homeless families in London are receiving offers to be housed as far away as Birmingham despite disruptions to jobs and schools. Councils often give families only 24 hours to accept, and if they fail to, the council will withdraw support on the basis that the family have become “intentionally homeless” leaving families ineligible for further help Read more...
Rent growth slows down nation-wide, whilst the cost of renting in London falls (19 April 2017)
A study carried by Right Move has found that over the past year the cost of renting a house has risen by a slim 1.8%, compared with 3.9% for the previous year. Rent in the capital, which is by far the most expensive has taken a 4.2% year on year fall. Read more...
Dorset working parents invited to apply early for tax-free childcare (19 April 2017)
Dorset Council is inviting Dorset working parents of children aged under 12 (or 17 if children have a disability) to apply for tax-free childcare before other areas of the country Read more...
CQC places Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust into special measures (19 April 2017)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced that the Chief Inspector of Hospitals has recommended Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Northamptonshire be placed into special measures Read more...
Elite multi-agency intelligence unit starts work to tackle human trafficking (19 April 2017)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced radical reforms to boost support for slavery victims in the UK, as a new, elite, multi-agency intelligence unit starts work to tackle human trafficking Read more...
17-year jail sentence for former Catholic priest guilty of historic sexual offences (19 April 2017)
A former Catholic priest has been jailed for 17 years after being convicted of historical sexual offences against a teenage boy in the 1970s Read more...
New fast-track system to speed up immigration and asylum appeals (19 April 2017)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that a new fast-track system to speed up immigration and asylum appeals for those in detention has been drawn up, which Ministers say will save millions of pounds every year Read more...
Drugs gang supplying cocaine in London jailed for total of 102 years (19 April 2017)
Blackfriars Crown Court has jailed six members of a drugs gang which conspired to supply cocaine worth millions of pounds in London Read more...
Jail for man who fled UK after arrest for possessing indecent images of children (19 April 2017)
Carlisle Crown Court has jailed a 44-year-old man to three years and eight months for possessing and distributing more than 6,000 indecent images of children Read more...
New set of JTAI to focus on children living with neglect (19 April 2017)
The government has announced that a series of inspections focusing on children living with neglect are to be carried out by Ofsted, Care Quality Commission (CQC), HMI Constabulary and HMI Probation Read more...
£200,000 fine after engineer sustains crush injuries in machinery (19 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an engineering firm, after a worker suffered crush injuries in machinery Read more...
Investigation into avoidable deaths of 7 babies at negligent NHS trust (18 April 2017)
The Health Secretary has launched an investigation into Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS trust after it has been found that a series of new-born deaths could have been avoided Read more...
Terminally ill man wins the right to bring a High Court challenge over right-to-die law (18 April 2017)
Noel Conway, a retired college lecturer with motor neuron disease, has won the right to bring a High Court challenge over the law on assisted dying Read more...
Increasing number of ambulances turned away by A&E (18 April 2017)
It has been reported that over the winter several hospitals in England had to close their doors to ambulances. As a result, ambulances were diverted to different hospitals, causing delays for urgent treatments Read more...
Mind calls for 48-hour follow up for mental health patients discharged from hospital (18 April 2017)
Mental health charity Mind has revealed that thousands of mental health patients are left to cope alone after leaving a mental health hospital, potentially putting their lives at risk Read more...
Barnet Council launches £65m Opendoor Homes plan to build 320 affordable homes for rent (18 April 2017)
Barnet Council has officially launched Opendoor Homes – a subsidiary of The Barnet Group, which is wholly owned by Barnet Council – as a registered provider of affordable homes Read more...
Essex County Council welcomes DfE approval for special needs free schools (18 April 2017)
Essex County Council has welcomed approval from the Department for Education (DfE) for special needs free schools in Essex Read more...
Lincolnshire councils collaborate to tackle benefit fraud (18 April 2017)
Lincolnshire councils are working together to crack down on benefit fraud – and have already identified more than one million pounds worth of incorrect or fraudulent payments Read more...
Kingston Council works with partner to deliver new homes (18 April 2017)
Kingston Council in southwest London has said it has reached a key milestone in the delivery of new homes in the borough Read more...
Social care issues are contributing to bed delay transfer figures (13 April 2017)
Figures have revealed that over 2,500 hospital beds per day are occupied by patients who are fit for release. Delayed transfers occur when a patient is deemed to be medically well enough to be discharged from hospital, but their discharge is held up by another factor. Although most of the responsibility for delayed transfers and bed-blocking falls on the NHS, the number of delays attributed to social care is increasing Read more...
Record-breaking number of GP closures (13 April 2017)
A Freedom of Information Request from Pulse Magazine revealed that the closure of a record-breaking number of GPs last year forced over a quarter of a million patients to find a new doctor Read more...
Parents lose battle to keep their baby on life support (13 April 2017)
A High Court Judge has ruled that doctors can withdraw life support from a baby with a rare genetic condition and brain damage against his parents’ wishes Read more...
Government announces further £55m in funding for childcare schemes (12 April 2017)
The government has announced a £55 million boost in funding for free childcare schemes, which will create nearly 18,000 new childcare places to help deliver 30 hours of free childcare Read more...
Council consults on licensing scheme to tackle rogue landlords (12 April 2017)
Telford and Wrekin Council in Shropshire has launched a consultation on a new scheme to improve housing standards in privately rented homes – and reduce littering, fly-tipping, crime and anti-social behaviour Read more...
Wales set to replace stamp duty land tax with land transaction tax (12 April 2017)
The Welsh Assembly has introduced the country’s first new tax for 800 years, which will replace stamp duty land tax when the Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill comes into force Read more...
Wales set to replace stamp duty land tax with land transaction tax (12 April 2017)
The Welsh Assembly has introduced the country’s first new tax for 800 years, which will replace stamp duty land tax when the Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Bill comes into force Read more...
Telford & Wrekin Council fights closure of overnight A&E unit (12 April 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council has called Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust’s (SaTH) recommendation involving overnight closure of the Princess Royal Hospital’s A&E service as early as September 2017 “the effective downgrading of the hospital via the backdoor” Read more...
£2,000 penalty for fly-tipping compost waste (12 April 2017)
Buckinghamshire County Council has prosecuted a fly-tipper caught on CCTV dumping sacks of compost material from a van Read more...
£2,773.50 penalty for owner of Chinese restaurant which put public at risk of food poisoning (12 April 2017)
The owner of a Chinese restaurant in West Cheshire has been prosecuted for food hygiene breaches that could have put the public at risk of food poisoning Read more...
Enforcement Notice upheld against homeowner who built bungalow without planning permission (12 April 2017)
Three Rivers District Council in Hertfordshire has succeeded in defeating an appeal against an Enforcement Notice, issued to a resident who erected a bungalow on Green Belt in 2013 without planning permission Read more...
Highways England calls for motorists to be aware of road workers and risks of collision (12 April 2017)
Highways England is highlighting the dangers faced by road workers, after a worker mending potholes was struck by a car A50 near Stoke-on-Trent in April 2016 Read more...
Leicestershire company director found guilty of £21,000 benefit fraud (12 April 2017)
A Leicestershire-based company director has been found guilty of benefit fraud by Leicester Crown Court Read more...
Bovis Homes Ltd fined for working outside agreed hours (12 April 2017)
Telford & Wrekin Council in Shropshire has prosecuted leading housing developer Bovis after receiving complaints about building noise early in the mornings and late in the evenings and at weekends Read more...
Patients with learning difficulties struggling to get access to appropriate healthcare (12 April 2017)
NHS data has found that patients with learning disabilities are missing out on important health checks, including blood pressure checks, mental health assessments and cancer screening Read more...
DPW says £700m Universal Credit boost will help families (11 April 2017)
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Damian Green has said that three million households across the country will keep more of what they earn as a result of a £700 million boost to Universal Credit Read more...
Sefton Council hosts first health and wellbeing event for cancer patients and their families (11 April 2017)
Sefton Council on Merseyside is hosting its first ever health and wellbeing event for those affected by cancer Read more...
Ealing Council plans £165m investment in new housing (11 April 2017)
Ealing Council has agreed to consider a loan of £165million to build more homes to meet rising demand in the borough Read more...
“Planning in principle” to be rolled out nationally to speed up house building (11 April 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has announced new measures to unlock brownfield land for thousands of homes Read more...
Supermarket prosecuted after worker suffers injuries on slippery floor (11 April 2017)
Crawley Borough Council has prosecuted Tesco for a health and safety accident in which a staff member slipped on a shop floor and was absent from work for several months as a result of their injuries. Read more...
Selective Licensing Scheme to be introduced for private rental properties in some parts of Scarborough (11 April 2017)
Scarborough Council has approved the introduction of a Selective Licensing Scheme for privately rented properties within parts Scarborough, designed to ensure that properties are safe and are being managed appropriately Read more...
£146,000 in government funding to help support domestic violence refuge in Stafford (11 April 2017)
Cannock Chase Council – working in partnership with South Staffordshire District Council and lead authority Stafford Borough Council – has secured nearly £146,000 in government funding to help support ForWard House, a state-of-the-art domestic abuse refuge which was opened in Stafford in 2016 Read more...
Mind hosts first annual Workplace Wellbeing Index Awards (11 April 2017)
The First Mind Workplace Wellbeing Index has revealed how well employers are supporting staff mental health Read more...
£1m in funding for regeneration and housing appraisal in deprived area of Nottinghamshire (11 April 2017)
Newark and Sherwood District Council in Nottinghamshire has been awarded nearly £1 million to kick start a regeneration scheme including new housing development Read more...
£2,000 penalty for food business operator who put others at risk of food poisoning (10 April 2017)
A Powys-based food business operator has been prosecuted after raw meat was found above ready-to-eat food in a refrigerator, leading to the risk of cross-contamination and food poisoning Read more...
Running of Peterborough’s fostering and adoption services taken over by TACT (10 April 2017)
Peterborough City Council says that the running of its fostering and adoption services by TACT (The Adolescent and Children’s Trust) will reduce reliance on higher cost independent fostering and residential placements Read more...
Staffordshire Trading Standards officers seize illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco (10 April 2017)
Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards officers have seized large quantities of illegal cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco in raids on a shop and two residential properties Read more...
High Court injunction granted against developers in breach of planning conditions (10 April 2017)
Herefordshire Council has been granted a High Court injunction against Ross-on-Wye developers, who continued to be in breach of planning conditions following safety fears for a housing development at Pencraig in Ross-on-Wye Read more...
North Northamptonshire awarded £1.1m to support development of Sustainable Urban Extensions (10 April 2017)
North Northamptonshire is among the winners in the government’s award of Large Sites Capacity Funding to help provide new homes Read more...
Thanet Council launches pilot dog DNA registration scheme to promote responsible ownership (10 April 2017)
Thanet Council in Kent has announced it is launching a dog DNA registration scheme to combat the problem of pet theft, puppy farms and dogs which foul public areas, putting others at risk of parasitic diseases such as toxocariasis Read more...
Wolverhampton’s children’s services judged “Good” by Ofsted (10 April 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council has announced that Ofsted has judged its children’s services to be Good with the help and support available to vulnerable children, young people and families in the City ranked in the top 20% nationally Read more...
Bexley Council seeks parents’ and carers’ feedback on SEND services (10 April 2017)
Bexley Council in Kent is seeking the experiences of parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities in an online survey available until 14 May Read more...
Brent Council and Diabetes UK train Diabetes Community Champions to help local community (10 April 2017)
Brent Council has trained 25 local residents as Diabetes Community Champions in a bid to help the increasing number of people suffering from diabetes in Brent Read more...
Reading Borough Council introduces CSE awareness training for taxi and minicab drivers (7 April 2017)
Reading Borough Council is to introduce training on child safeguarding issues before taxi drivers and minicab drivers are awarded a licence Read more...
West Berkshire Council uses £2.1m award to replicate Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding model (7 April 2017)
West Berkshire Council has said that it will use a £2.1million share of an £11.6m grant from the government's Children's Social Care Innovation Programme to replicate the Hertfordshire Family Safeguarding model in West Berkshire Read more...
City of York Council prosecutes former Uber driver for breaching terms of licence (7 April 2017)
City of York Council has prosecuted a taxi driver for illegally plying for fares in the city Read more...
Thurrock Council Trading Standards warn about cosmetic products containing harmful ingredients (7 April 2017)
Thurrock Council's Trading Standards department is warning consumers to be aware of potentially dangerous products after a local retailer was prosecuted for selling cosmetics containing harmful ingredients Read more...
‘Right to Rent’ initiative feared to be fuelling discrimination (7 April 2017)
The new ‘Right to Rent’ scheme – an initiative requiring landlords to check the immigration status of their prospective tenants – has been accused of fuelling discrimination by a recent report by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI) Read more...
People with mental health conditions and disabilities continue to face hardships, report shows (7 April 2017)
A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), titled Being Disabled in Britain: A Journey Less Equal has revealed the hardships faced by disabled people living in Britain Read more...
Thousands of families left with only 50p-a-week housing benefit (7 April 2017)
Families reliant on benefits are suffering from the current limits of £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the country. A BBC Panorama investigation has found that, as a result of these benefit caps, several families can lose all of their housing benefit asides from a nominal amount of 50p per week Read more...
Parliament investigate Air Bnb’s role in the rental crisis (7 April 2017)
The ever increasing popularity of Airbnb has come under scrutiny recently as the government believe it is contributing to the rental crisis in London. In response to this Airbnb has implemented a policy whereby users of Airbnb are only allowed to rent out their property for a maximum of 90 days per annum Read more...
DWP announces £30m in new support to help workless families and improve children’s quality of life (6 April 2017)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced new plans to help workless families break the cycle of disadvantage Read more...
Kent loan shark ordered to repay £55,000 after England Illegal Money Lending Team investigation (6 April 2017)
An investigation by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) in partnership with Medway Council’s Trading Standards team and Kent Police has resulted in a loan shark being ordered to repay £55,000 Read more...
Bolton Council secures three convictions for fly tipping (6 April 2017)
Bolton Council has prosecuted a local man who fly tipped a mattress in a street and two other residents who dumped bags of waste and scrap metal at the rear of their properties Read more...
BHA report highlights need for migrant workers in hospitality sector post Brexit (6 April 2017)
A report by the British Hospitality Association (BHA) has predicted that, if there is no new immigration in the UK, there will be a shortfall of an estimated 62,000 workers in the hospitality sector Read more...
Cornwall Council’s One Vision Partnership Plan to improve children’s services is formally approved (6 April 2017)
Cornwall Council has announced that its “One Vision” Partnership Plan, which aims to change the way services work together to improve the lives of children, young people and their families in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has been formally approved by the council’s Cabinet Read more...
£5,500 in fines after nine anglers are caught fishing without rod licences (6 April 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted nine anglers caught without a rod licence, who were handed a total of £5,500 in fines Read more...
Islington café prosecuted for displaying out-of-date food hygiene rating (6 April 2017)
A café in Islington, north London has been prosecuted under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 after exaggerating its food hygiene rating Read more...
£1,000 fine for waste carrier offence (6 April 2017)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted a Gateshead man for failing to produce his authority to transport controlled waste Read more...
Debate over whether NHS should have its own tax (5 April 2017)
There is an intensifying debate over whether the NHS needs additional funding, and, if so, how this could be attained. Among the options being considered is a dedicated tax for the health service – an idea that has been considered by economists for many years Read more...
Families encouraged to pre-register online for government’s new childcare offers (5 April 2017)
The government is encouraging millions of families to pre-register for the government’s new childcare offers, after the launch of a new Childcare Choices government website Read more...
Help to Buy helps more than one million homebuyers onto the housing ladder according to government (5 April 2017)
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has said that more than 259,000 people have already bought a home using one of the government’s flagship Help to Buy schemes with more than 868,000 opening a Help to buy: ISA Read more...
Trustee removed from charity after found to be a conduit for immigration fraud (5 April 2017)
The Charity Commission has decided that a trustee of a charity breached its legal duties to protect the charity’s assets, by using the charity as a conduit to commit immigration fraud Read more...
£800,000 fine after airport worker dies from crush injuries (5 April 2017)
Leading construction company Laing O’Rourke has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the death of a worker from crush injuries Read more...
Government introduces 28-day pre-charge bail limit (5 April 2017)
The government has introduced a new pre-charge bail limit of 28 days, which came into effect on Monday Read more...
New offence: Sexual Communication with a Child becomes law (5 April 2017)
A new offence of Sexual Communication with a Child has been introduced, with those who groom children facing up to two years in jail as well as being placed on the sex offenders’ register Read more...
Doncaster Council’s Trading Standards prosecutes two retailers after 6,960 illicit and counterfeit cigarettes are seized (5 April 2017)
Doncaster Council’s Trading Standards department has prosecuted two men for breaches of the Trade Marks Act & General Product Safety Regulations, after the seizure of 6,960 illicit cigarettes in a raid on two premises Read more...
Sefton Council launches consultation on selective licensing and private HMO landlords (5 April 2017)
Sefton Council on Merseyside is consulting on whether a selective licensing and additional House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing scheme for private landlords are needed in parts of the borough Read more...
£14,000 in fines for breaching Control of Asbestos Regulations (5 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two companies after unsafe asbestos work was carried out on a property in Leatherhead, Surrey Read more...
Urgent investigation into NHS 111 is being launched following allegations made by an undercover reporter (5 April 2017)
An undercover reporter was placed at the NHS 111 call centre at St Charles Hospital in Ladbroke Grove by The Sun newspaper; the reporter claims that whilst working in the call centre, he witnessed call handlers asleep at their desks or marking themselves as ‘busy’ on the computer system to avoid any incoming calls Read more...
City of Wolverhampton Council hosts fostering event to help place more children into care (4 April 2017)
The City of Wolverhampton Council is inviting the public to find out more about fostering children in care at an event on Friday, 7 April Read more...
HMRC launches investigation into global financial institution suspected of tax evasion and money laundering (4 April 2017)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has announced that it is working with international partners in an investigation into suspected tax evasion and money laundering by an unnamed global financial institution Read more...
London Assembly Health Committee visits mental health unit for patients struggling with deafness (4 April 2017)
Members of the London Assembly have visited a specialist mental health service in Tooting, southwest London, offering services to those who are deaf Read more...
£160,000 fine for recycling company after worker sustains serious brain injury (4 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Birmingham-based recycling company after a worker was left fighting for his life after being crushed by approximately 400kg of cardboard Read more...
Manchester man found guilty of murdering sister (4 April 2017)
Manchester Crown Court has convicted a 50-year-old man of murdering his sister at her home in Surbiton Road, Newton Heath, northeast Manchester on 29 February 2016 Read more...
First-time buyers look to parents to help them onto housing ladder (4 April 2017)
New research by the Social Mobility Commission shows that more first-time buyers are relying on their parents help them get onto the property ladder Read more...
13 years for former teacher and charity worker guilty of historical sexual offences (4 April 2017)
Newcastle Crown Court has jailed a former teacher and charity worker for historical sexual offences dating back nearly 30 years Read more...
£8,000 penalty after worker loses fingers in machinery (4 April 2017)
A construction company has been prosecuted after a worker lost his middle and index finger on one hand while using a screwdriver to scrape asphalt residue from a mixer Read more...
Dorset County Council pledges to improve support for SEND families (4 April 2017)
Dorset County Council has said it will work with its partners to continue to improve support for children and young people in Dorset who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Read more...
Suspended sentence and POCA for man who sold illegal Internet TV boxes (4 April 2017)
Hartlepool Council has prosecuted a local man who sold illegal Internet TV boxes that allowed pubs and clubs to screen pay-to-view TV free of charge Read more...
Rail Accident Investigation Branch to investigate near miss of track workers at Camden Junction South (4 April 2017)
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is to investigate a serious incident in which two track workers narrowly avoiding being hit by a train at Camden Junction South in London on 28 February 2017 Read more...
Cardiff Council announces “one-stop shop” for victims of domestic violence (4 April 2017)
The City of Cardiff Council has announced it will work in partnership with the local health board to deliver a one-stop shop offering domestic abuse support services Read more...
Thompson v Reeve – Claimant withdraws settlement in attempt to secure greater damages under new discount rate (4 April 2017)
The High Court has allowed for a claimant to withdraw a settlement made prior to the announcement that the discount rate applied to personal injury pay-outs was to change, which could allow for a more lucrative settlement Read more...
Waiting times for NHS operations to increase in a “trade off” for other services (4 April 2017)
Growing pressures in the NHS mean that there can no longer be an 18-week guarantee for operations considered to be of “low clinical value” Read more...
Roofing companies fined total of £150,000, after worker suffers life changing back injuries in fall from height (3 April 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two roofing companies, after a worker fell nine metres through a skylight onto concrete flooring below Read more...