Legal News Articles
Welsh government reaffirms commitment to improving care for patients with neurological conditions (31 July 2017)
The Welsh Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring those affected by neurological conditions have timely access to care, in the Neurological Conditions Delivery Plan for 2017-2020 Read more...
Mind welcomes Supreme Court ruling on employment tribunal fees (31 July 2017)
Mental health charity Mind has responded to a Supreme Court ruling that charging complainants in employment tribunals is illegal, saying that for those who feel they have been forced out of jobs because of their mental health, the fees were “yet another barrier for us in the fight for fairness and equality in the workplace” Read more...
City of York 30-Hour childcare pilot shows council achieved 100% sign up (31 July 2017)
An in-depth study on City of York Council’s 30 Hours of free childcare trial has confirmed that the council exceeded its government target – and secured 100% sign-up from private and voluntary settings Read more...
£2,800 penalty for selling dangerous and soiled electrical goods (31 July 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council's Trading Standards department has prosecuted a company which sold dangerous electrical appliances, some of which were sold covered in bird lime Read more...
Seven-year disqualification for restaurateur who employed illegal workers (31 July 2017)
An East Sussex restaurateur who employed workers not legally allowed to work in the UK has been disqualified for seven years Read more...
£39,000 penalty after worker falls from height while working on water treatment vessel (31 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a water treatment system manufacturer, after a worker sustained head and arm injuries after falling 3.5 metres from a water treatment tank Read more...
Life sentence for frenzied attack which killed mother’s boyfriend (31 July 2017)
A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to life for the brutal murder of his mother’s boyfriend Read more...
Companies fined more than £1m for exposing workers to asbestos (31 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted three companies, after workers were exposed to asbestos while refurbishing a school in Waltham Forest, east London Read more...
Home Office commissions report on benefits of EU migration to UK (28 July 2017)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has commissioned a report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) on the economic impact of EU migrants on the UK economy, as part of the government’s Brexit preparations Read more...
POA says latest Safety in Custody figures outline the failures of HMPPS (28 July 2017)
The latest government Safety in Custody statistics for England and Wales show a significant increase in the number of assaults on prisoners by prisoners and on staff by prisoners Read more...
Wolverhampton man’s sentence for robbery increased under ULS (28 July 2017)
A Wolverhampton man has had his sentence for robbery increased by four-and-a-half years, after the Attorney General referred the original sentence to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme Read more...
Gardener pleads guilty to two counts of fraud (28 July 2017)
Peterborough Council has prosecuted a self-employed gardener for fraud Read more...
Buckinghamshire consults on early help and joined up services for children and families (28 July 2017)
Buckinghamshire County Council is calling for feedback in a ten-week consultation on a proposed new approach to supporting children and families with early help Read more...
Organ donations in Wales increase, with fewer patients dying while awaiting organ transplants (28 July 2017)
Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has welcomed new figures, which show an in increase in the number of donor organs being transplanted in Wales Read more...
New homes proposed for Lincoln Western Growth Corridor (28 July 2017)
Lincoln City Council is asking for public feedback on new proposals for developing the Lincoln Western Growth Corridor Read more...
New watchdog to crack down on money laundering and terrorism financing (27 July 2017)
The government says that the new Office for Professional Body Anti-Money Laundering Supervision (OPBAS) will tackle potential weaknesses in the supervisory system, which criminals and terrorists may be trying to exploit Read more...
Record number of children living in households with at least one working adult (27 July 2017)
New figures show that the proportion of children living in a household with no working adult has fallen in every region of Great Britain since 2010 Read more...
Convicted murderer pleads guilty to previous sexual assaults on women (27 July 2017)
Convicted murderer Mark Dixie, 46, has admitted two serious sexual assaults on women, which were committed 15 years apart Read more...
£10,000 penalty after worker has fingers amputated by falling gate (27 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Sheffield-based company, after a worker lost his middle two fingers while trying to repair its main entrance gate Read more...
Car trader prosecuted for selling “unroadworthy” car online (27 July 2017)
Dorset Trading Standards have prosecuted a car trader who sold a poorly repaired vehicle that had been an insurance write off Read more...
Government consults on shake up of “unfair” leaseholds on new builds (27 July 2017)
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has set out plans to prevent new build houses from being sold as leasehold, as well as restricting ground rents to as low as zero Read more...
£21m investment in clinical research by Welsh government (27 July 2017)
Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has announced that more than £21 million will be invested by the Welsh government during the next year in high-quality research in the Welsh NHS, to help researchers develop the treatments of tomorrow Read more...
Leeds takeaway owner prosecuted for failing to address food hygiene breaches (27 July 2017)
The owner of a takeaway in Morley, Leeds has been prosecuted for food hygiene offences which could have put the public at risk of food poisoning Read more...
Over 200 London students prepare to take legal action against their university over poor living conditions (27 July 2017)
Hundreds of postgraduate students at London School of Economics (LSE) are preparing to take legal action against their university owing to the conditions of their accommodation causing illness and distress Read more...
Car crash victim discharged from hospital with “bruising” that was actually a broken back (27 July 2017)
A car crash victim was reportedly sent home from hospital with painkillers despite having a broken back. 20-year old Ciaran Lovelace says he was discharged from Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham by medical staff after being involved in a serious car crash on 4th July 2017 Read more...
Disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson struck off by tribunal (27 July 2017)
Ian Paterson, the disgraced breast surgeon who was found to have carried out a number of unnecessary cancer operations, has now been struck off after a tribunal ruled that his actions over a 14-year period were “serious, calculated, and sustained.” Read more...
Report finds Home Office delays and denials are leaving asylum seekers in abject poverty (25 July 2017)
A recent report by Refugee Action has revealed the extent of asylum seekers being wrongly denied emergency support from the Home Office, despite being legally entitled to it, with families being left in abject poverty and facing homelessness as a result Read more...
Croydon Council’s knife crime strategy wins praise from London Mayor (25 July 2017)
A scheme run by Croydon Council’s Trading Standards team has won praise from the Mayor of London for its pro-active approach to combating knife crime Read more...
New supported housing scheme in Ashford for young people leaving care (25 July 2017)
A new housing scheme for vulnerable young people leaving care has been opened in Ashford in Kent Read more...
Northumberland pilots road improvement scheme to tackle poor road surfaces and potholes (25 July 2017)
Northumberland Council has announced a new pilot scheme to give local areas more say on road improvements Read more...
Consultation on new housing policy for Eastbourne and Lewes (25 July 2017)
Eastbourne Borough Council has launched a housing consultation on a new housing policy for the borough and Lewes District Council Read more...
Contractors jailed for roofing scams (25 July 2017)
Aylesbury Crown Court has jailed two contractors for roofing scams, after an initial quote of £100 for roofing work escalated to £35,000 Read more...
Unlicensed HMO landlord fined £75,000 for fire safety and housing offences (25 July 2017)
Lincoln Crown Court has fined a landlord £75,000 for breaching fire safety rules at an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Boston, Lincolnshire Read more...
£14.5m investment in new cyber innovation centre to develop next generation cyber security technology (25 July 2017)
The government has announced that up to £14.5 million will be made available to develop a new cyber security centre, which will see established firms working alongside cutting edge start ups Read more...
FCO announces temporary UK visa office in Maldives for students coming to Britain to study (25 July 2017)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has announced that UK visa applicants in the Maldives will be able to apply for their UK visas in Male at a temporary Visa Application Centre (VAC) Read more...
A record high cost of NHS negligence pay-outs linked to maternity errors (24 July 2017)
Figures have revealed that over £1bn – a record high – was paid out by the NHS for medical negligence damages last year, and this has been closely linked to maternity blunders Read more...
Vaginal mesh victims meet with MPs as senior doctors call for a public inquiry into the use of vaginal mesh surgery (24 July 2017)
Women across the UK who have been physically and emotionally affected by complications of vaginal mesh surgery have taken a campaign to Westminster calling for the implants to be banned Read more...
NHS Providers report reveals numerous concerns over mental health services in England (24 July 2017)
NHS Providers have published a report, ‘The State of the NHS Provider Sector July 2017’, which has revealed the concerns of senior staff surrounding mental health services in England being at risk of becoming overwhelmed Read more...
New report finds fewer children with dental decay in Wales (24 July 2017)
A new report by Public Health Wales (PHW) reveals the latest dental survey of five-year-old children in Wales Read more...
New supported housing scheme in Ashford for young people leaving care (24 July 2017)
A new housing scheme for vulnerable young people leaving care has been opened in Ashford in Kent Read more...
Brighton and Hove Council launches HMO and selective licensing consultations (24 July 2017)
Brighton and Hove City Council is consulting on two proposed licensing schemes for the private rental sector in the city Read more...
West Sussex County Council seeks local feedback on proposals for adult care (24 July 2017)
West Sussex County Council is asking local residents to help shape how the county council delivers adult social care in the future Read more...
Leeds pizza takeaway owner prosecuted for food hygiene failings (24 July 2017)
Leeds City Council’s environmental health team has prosecuted the owner of a pizza takeaway in the city for food hygiene breaches Read more...
Wirral becomes first council on Merseyside to become a Fostering Friendly Employer (24 July 2017)
Wirral Council has announced that it has become the first council on Merseyside to be awarded Fostering Friendly Employer status by the national Fostering Network charity Read more...
Doncaster Council completes 124 new council homes, with more to follow (24 July 2017)
Doncaster Council has announced that tenants have been given the keys to new council homes, marking the completion of 124 council-owned homes at ten sites across the borough Read more...
DWP announces hardship payments will be immediately accessible for mental health patients and the homeless (20 July 2017)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that extra protections are being put in place for people receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) who have a mental health condition – or who are homeless and have had their benefits reduced because of a sanction Read more...
Trading Standards warns of risks of counterfeit perfumes after car boot haul in Peterborough (20 July 2017)
Peterborough City Council's Trading Standards department is warning consumers that counterfeit perfumes could pose a risk to the public Read more...
Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill introduced into Parliament (20 July 2017)
The government has introduced the Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill in Parliament, which will set out “bereavement support” for employees Read more...
St Albans company and director prosecuted after employee falls from scaffolding (20 July 2017)
A scaffolding company and its director have both been prosecuted after an employee fell more than 20ft to the ground Read more...
£600,000 fine for Yorkshire Water after sewage pollution (19 July 2017)
Yorkshire Water has been fined £600,000 for polluting a Staithes watercourse with sewage sludge, which polluted Dales Beck and killed up to 100 fish Read more...
Affordable homes for West Dorset completed as part of 20,000 new homes target (19 July 2017)
West Dorset District Council has announced the completion of eight new affordable homes at Tolpuddle, including a specially adapted home, by Hastoe Housing Association Read more...
Home Office announces £1m funding to help communities support Syrian refugees (19 July 2017)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has announced £1 million in funding to help communities support refugees fleeing the war in Syria Read more...
Sentence increase for rapist who targeted university students (19 July 2017)
A rapist who attacked male students on the Loughborough University campus has had his sentence increased to more than 11 years under the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme, following referral of the original sentence by the Solicitor General to the Court of Appeal Read more...
Smart motorway emergency area trialled in Surrey to reduce road traffic accidents (19 July 2017)
A trial is underway of a new style smart motorway emergency area on the M3 in Surrey, enabling drivers to stop in an emergency Read more...
More terrorism offences added to Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme (19 July 2017)
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that 19 terror-related offences will be added to Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme, meaning that those convicted of encouraging terrorism, sharing terrorist propaganda and other terror-related offences could see their sentences increased if victims or the public think the punishment is too soft Read more...
Welsh government consults on criminal enforcement powers to tackle tax crime (19 July 2017)
Welsh Assembly Finance Secretary Professor Mark Drakeford has launched a consultation on proposals to give the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA) criminal enforcement powers to tackle tax crime Read more...
Wolverhampton Council issues guidance on how to spot the signs of CSE (19 July 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council has issued guidance on how to recognise the stages of grooming, to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) Read more...
£4m of criminal assets to be shared between Home Office and Jersey (19 July 2017)
The Home Office has announced that more than £4 million of criminal assets will be split between Jersey and the Home Office, following the signing of an agreement by Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC and Attorney General of Jersey Robert MacRae QC Read more...
£25,000 penalty after worker suffers crush injuries (19 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Lancashire-based company, after a worker was crushed under machinery Read more...
The UK Government is called to consider the ‘Housing First’ approach after a report reveals it could save up to £4 million in the Liverpool region (19 July 2017)
A report conducted by homelessness charity Crisis has found that the ‘Housing First’ scheme could save the Liverpool City Region (LCR) as much as £4million a year. The Liverpool City Region includes Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral and Halton Read more...
Government launches Drug Strategy, with emphasis on recovery from drug dependence (18 July 2017)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has launched the government’s new Drug Strategy to reduce illegal drug use – and increase the rate of individuals recovering from drug dependence Read more...
Bristol City Council says re-launch of Rent with Confidence will protect tenants across West of England (18 July 2017)
Bristol City Council says that its participation in the re-launch of a Rent with Confidence for private sector landlord and letting agents will help people find good quality rented accommodation in the city and surrounding areas Read more...
Home Office announces plans to tighten anti-knife laws as Operation Sceptre launches (18 July 2017)
The Home Office has announced plans to consult on new offences to toughen up knife crime laws, including restricting the online sale of knives and banning possession of dangerous or offensive weapons on private property Read more...
Buckinghamshire County Council invests £2m in four new children’s homes (18 July 2017)
Buckinghamshire County Council has agreed plans to go ahead with the development of new children’s homes in Buckinghamshire, in a drive to keep “Bucks children” in Buckinghamshire Read more...
Schools in Wales asked to be aware of risk of FGM being carried out during summer holidays (18 July 2017)
Welsh Assembly Education Secretary Kirsty Williams has written to all schools in Wales to raise awareness of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Read more...
£84,000 penalty after employee fractures pelvis in forklift accident (18 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Merseyside-based manufacturing company, after an employee was struck by a forklift truck Read more...
Wolverhampton Council compiles advice to keep children safe and well during school holidays (18 July 2017)
City of Wolverhampton Council is offering parents advice to help keep children safe during the summer holidays Read more...
Jail for human trafficker who tried to smuggle 22 people into UK (18 July 2017)
A people smuggler has been jailed after admitting trying to travel through Harwich International Port with 22 Afghan nationals hidden in the back of his lorry Read more...
Financial adviser who duped employers into believing he had cancer convicted of fraud (18 July 2017)
A financial adviser who set up his own London Fraud Prevention Club has been convicted of telling his former employers he had cancer to claim sick pay and then inventing a non-existent £1 million business deal so he could receive commission Read more...
Wiltshire MARAC marks ten years of helping domestic violence victims (18 July 2017)
A multi-agency forum in Wiltshire, which has helped more than 4,000 victims or potential victims of domestic abuse, has marked ten years of dedicated support Read more...
£653 penalty for Blue Badge fraud (18 July 2017)
Manchester City Council has prosecuted a local man for misusing a Blue Badge belonging to his brother, in order to park in a bay reserved for disabled motorists Read more...
RAIB investigates dangerous incident in June on South Devon Railway (18 July 2017)
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating a dangerous incident on the South Devon Railway on 22 June 2017, when a mother and her son entered a public lavatory on board a train and found the floor missing and tracks exposed Read more...
Woman takes legal action against Disneyland for personal injury after crème brûlée flame left her with second-degree burns (17 July 2017)
A woman has taken legal action against Disneyland Paris following an injury she obtained in one of their restaurants. The woman, 37 from Bristol, was severely burned by a “massive fireball” when one of the restaurant’s chefs used a blow torch to light a crème brûlée Read more...
£1.7bn affordable homes deal agreed between London Mayor and councils and housing associations (17 July 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £1.7 billion deal with councils and housing associations in London to start building an additional 50,000 affordable homes to rent and buy over the next four years Read more...
Law Commission launches public consultation on updating law on wills (17 July 2017)
The Law Commission has launched a public consultation on the outdated law of wills, which it says is out of step with the modern world and fails to protect the vulnerable Read more...
Thurrock property owner prosecuted for dumping rubbish (17 July 2017)
Thurrock Council in Essex has prosecuted a local property owner who dumped rubbish on their own property Read more...
Medway Council promotes importance of wearing a seatbelt in road safety sessions with schoolchildren (17 July 2017)
Medway Council in Kent has found that around 800 Medway school children have admitted to not wearing a seatbelt on short car journeys Read more...
Government to announce new measures to tackle acid attacks (17 July 2017)
The Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability, Sarah Newton, is to outline the plans to tackle acid attacks during a Parliamentary debate in the Commons on Monday Read more...
Bath & North East Somerset Council re-launches Rent with Confidence scheme for private sector landlords (17 July 2017)
Bath & North East Somerset (Bathnes) Council has announced the re-launch of a scheme aimed at helping tenants find good quality rented accommodation Read more...
City of York offers digital support as Universal Credit is rolled out to more residents (17 July 2017)
City of York Council has rolled out Universal Credit to more residents in York from Wednesday, 12 July – and has provided digital support to residents who may need help with budgeting once they switch to the new combined benefit Read more...
Funding and staffing are main concerns of mental health bosses, new report shows (17 July 2017)
Mental health charity Mind says that a new report by NHS Providers shows the scale of the challenge facing NHS mental health services Read more...
Milton Keynes Council pioneers joint approach to tackling FGM in the community (17 July 2017)
Milton Keynes Council has announced a multi-agency approach to tackling the issues of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the local community Read more...
Medway Council promotes importance of wearing a seatbelt in road safety sessions with schoolchildren (17 July 2017)
Medway Council in Kent has found that around 800 Medway school children have admitted to not wearing a seatbelt on short car journeys Read more...
Woman who made false allegations of rape convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice (13 July 2017)
A woman who made false allegations of sexual offences has been convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice Read more...
Theresa May calls for a global initiative to eradicate human trafficking and modern slavery (13 July 2017)
The Prime Minister has called for G20 countries to work together to tackle the global issues of human trafficking and modern slavery Read more...
Construction and agriculture still have highest annual death rates, HSE figures show (13 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released annual figures for work-related fatalities – as well as the number of people known to have died from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma in 2015 Read more...
Government crackdown on bogus holiday illness claims (13 July 2017)
The government has announced a crackdown on bogus holiday illness claims, which it says is damaging Britain’s reputation overseas and could drive up holiday costs Read more...
NHBC issues fire safety advice to residents of apartment blocks (13 July 2017)
The National House Building Council (NHBC) has issued information for homeowners who are concerned about fire safety in apartment buildings Read more...
“Recommended” hernia mesh repairs leave thousands at risk of chronic pain (13 July 2017)
Several patients are being left in severe chronic pain caused by mesh used by NHS England to repair hernias, surgeons have revealed Read more...
Mental health charities say substance misuse among young people may signify underlying trauma (13 July 2017)
Mental health charities YoungMinds and Addaction say young people who misuse substances may have underlying trauma which is not being addressed – and are calling on local commissioners to take action Read more...
London restaurateur disqualified for seven years for immigration and tax offences (13 July 2017)
The director of eight Chinese restaurants operating across London has been disqualified from acting as a director for seven years, after he was found to be employing illegal workers and also failed to pay taxes due to HMRC Read more...
Government summit on preventing acid attacks calls for joint offensive against perpetrators (13 July 2017)
The Home Office has held a joint event with the NPCC to bring together law enforcement, government, retailers and medical experts to tackle the issue of acid attacks Read more...
Trading Standards and police seize counterfeit perfumes in Lincolnshire (13 July 2017)
Lincolnshire Trading Standards and Lincolnshire Police have seized counterfeit perfume from a Facebook seller in Boston, Lincolnshire Read more...
Bakery firm fined nearly £2m after worker is injured in conveyor belt (13 July 2017)
Bakery firm Warburtons Ltd has been prosecuted, after a worker was injured when his arm got trapped against a running conveyor belt Read more...
Crackdown on prison contraband nets haul of drugs and mobile phones – and jail terms for illegal drone operators (13 July 2017)
Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah has revealed that, since the introduction of new detection measures to crackdown on prison contraband, a huge haul of drugs and mobile phones has been uncovered in prisons Read more...
More than half of CCGs missing targets on talking therapies for mental health patients (13 July 2017)
Mental health charity Mind says that new data on talking therapies have given an insight into how Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are performing with regard to delivering talking therapies Read more...
NHBC figures show 14,680 new home registrations in May (13 July 2017)
New figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) show that a total of 14,680 new homes were registered in the UK during May, according to the NHBC’s monthly new home statistics Read more...
Welsh government launches precision medicine strategy to improve diagnosis and treatment using genomics (13 July 2017)
Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has said NHS patients in Wales will in the future receive a quicker diagnosis and more personalised treatments, as part of a new strategy to harness new cutting-edge “gene testing” genomics technologies in the Welsh NHS Read more...
Sandwell Council urges parents to claim 30 hours of free childcare (13 July 2017)
Sandwell Council in the West Midlands is encouraging working parents and carers of three- and four-year-olds in Sandwell to claim 30 hours of free childcare Read more...
£120,000 penalty after worker suffers burns in solvent explosion (13 July 2017)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Manchester-based paint manufacturing company, after a worker suffered burns while trying to clean the floor of a spray booth Read more...
Supreme Court ruling gives same-sex couples equal pension rights with heterosexual couples (13 July 2017)
A unanimous decision by five judges at the Supreme Court means that an exemption in the Equality Act allowing companies to exclude same-sex partners from spousal benefits paid into pension funds before December 2005 is discriminatory Read more...
£99,000 funding to help tackle gang violence (13 July 2017)
The Home Office has announced nearly £100,000 in new funding to tackle the issues around gang violence Read more...
Community service for hedge cutter whose safety failings led to death of retired farmer (13 July 2017)
A hedge cutter whose machinery malfunctioned during operation and killed a retired farmer has been given a community order for failing to ensure his own safety and that of others by following a safe system of work Read more...
Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme awards Cornwall Council £1.9m to transform children’s services (13 July 2017)
The government has awarded Cornwall Council £1.9 million to support the transformation of education, health and social care services across the county Read more...
Property company prosecuted for converting former Barnet GP surgery into HMO (13 July 2017)
Barnet Council in northwest London has prosecuted a property company, which illegally converted a former doctor’s surgery into nine flats Read more...
£1,580 penalty for Gateshead landlord who failed to obtain licence (13 July 2017)
Gateshead Council in Tyne and Wear has prosecuted a private landlord for failing to obtain a landlord licence for a property on Saltwell Place in Gateshead Read more...
The Court of Protection has made a best interests ruling on a woman’s medical procedures (12 July 2017)
The Court of Protection recently considered an application by an NHS Foundation Trust seeking an order to permit a hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy upon a patient who lacks mental capacity Read more...
NHS Trust that saw a patient fall to his death from an industrial chimney has been fined £300,000 (12 July 2017)
In May 2014, 20 year old mental health patient died after gaining access to a 130ft chimney at Epsom Hospital in Surrey. The patient suffered from an acute psychotic illness, and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SABT) admitted serious health and safety breaches during a hearing at Guildford Crown Court Read more...
“Phantom homes” emerging due to a third of planned houses remaining unbuilt (12 July 2017)
An analysis by housing charity Shelter has revealed that a third of homes due to be completed remain unbuilt despite the housing crisis. The analysis was based on figures obtained from the Department for Communities and Local Government among other data Read more...
Grenfell Tower’s borough revealed to be the worst in England for housing prior to fire (12 July 2017)
It has been reported that Kensington and Chelsea Borough was the worst in England for housing homeless people prior to the Grenfell disaster Read more...
Home Office welcomes changes in police Use of Force data collection to increase transparency (12 July 2017)
The Home Office has issued a statement in response to changes in police Use of Force rules to increase transparency following the Shaw Review Read more...
Children’s Minister announced £30m funding to help vulnerable youngsters (12 July 2017)
Minister for Children and Families Robert Goodwill has announced funding for 24 projects as part of the Children's Social Care Innovation Programme Read more...
Kingston Upon Thames consultation on Go Cycle routes to improve road safety and journey times (12 July 2017)
Kingston Upon Thames Council in southwest London is reminding local residents that a consultation on new cycles routes in the borough is due to end on 17 July Read more...
Prime Minister announces inquiry into contaminated blood scandal (12 July 2017)
The Prime Minister has announced an Inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal of the 1970s and 1980s, which she said was “an appalling tragedy which should simply never have happened” Read more...
Waverley Borough Council commences new affordable homes development in Godalming (12 July 2017)
Waverley Borough Council in Surrey has said that, following an award-winning Church View development at Station Road in Godalming, work is now underway on the site of the former Wey Court House sheltered housing scheme in Godalming, located off Meadrow Read more...
Sentence uplift for man convicted of sexual offences (11 July 2017)
A man who indecently assaulted two 13-year-old-boys in Lancing, West Sussex, has had his suspended prison sentence quashed and has been jailed for four years Read more...
Thrive LDN will address London’s mental health issues (11 July 2017)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that a new movement called Thrive LDN will improve mental health and wellbeing across the capital Read more...
Gateshead Council Trading Standards and Northumbria Police seize counterfeit designer goods in raid (11 July 2017)
Gateshead Council Trading Standards have seized dozens of bags of counterfeit clothes, shoes and perfume, following a raid on a property in Deckham in Gateshead Read more...
New survey reveals 93% of respondents had positive experience of cancer care in Wales (11 July 2017)
A survey of more than 6,700 cancer patients in Wales has revealed that 93% said they had a positive experience during their treatment Read more...
Waverley Borough Council commences new affordable homes development in Godalming (11 July 2017)
Waverley Borough Council in Surrey has said that, following an award-winning Church View development at Station Road in Godalming, work is now underway on the site of the former Wey Court House sheltered housing scheme in Godalming, located off Meadrow Read more...
Specialist taskforce to assist Kensington and Chelsea Council following Grenfell Tower fire (11 July 2017)
The government has ordered a taskforce to take over key services from Kensington and Chelsea Council following the Grenfell Tower Fire. The Council was very heavily criticised in the aftermath of the 14 June events, leading to the resignation of both the council leader and the chief executive. The taskforce is reportedly due to take over a number of council operations, including the housing department Read more...
The Court of Protection has made a best interests ruling on a man’s observance of religious practices (11 July 2017)
A hearing in the Court of Protection has ruled that a 39 year old man from a Punjabi Muslim family who lacks capacity does not have to observe two common Muslim practices Read more...
The Home Office announces a 12-month immigration amnesty for Grenfell victims, leading many to question whether 12-months is long enough to heal (11 July 2017)
The Home Office has recently announced that a 12-month immigration “amnesty” will be granted to the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire. A government publication, ‘Grenfell Tower immigration cases (guidance on handling cases involving survivors and other individuals directly affected by the fire)’, was published for Home Office staff on 5th July 2017 Read more...
Women worldwide continue to suffer from vaginal mesh complications (11 July 2017)
Following reports in April about the severe complications of vaginal mesh implants and recent reports that hernia mesh implants are causing chronic pain, the NHS has been accused of trying to divert media attention from the problems, whilst further complaints have been lodged in Australia Read more...
Weston General latest hospital to close its overnight A+E Department (11 July 2017)
Weston General is the fourth hospital in England to close its overnight A+E services, citing an inability to staff the hospital safely as the reason for closure Read more...
PI Reform – Discount rate back on the agenda? (11 July 2017)
Insurers hope to bring PI Reform back into the fold with the new DUP-propped up Theresa May Government, with suggestions that new provisions could address concerns raised about the reduced discount rate Read more...
Patient safety at serious risk due to NHS document errors (11 July 2017)
It has been found that at least 1,700 patients could have been harmed by a “colossal” blunder in which thousands of patient records and letters were left in a warehouse. Furthermore, officials have said that only two thirds of the 700,000 documents found have been checked, meaning the number at risk is likely to rise. Amongst the documents that were missing in England were cancer test results and child protection notes Read more...