Legal News Articles
Is this the end to Charter Flights to Kabul? Probably not (30 June 2016)
It all began at the end of February 2015.
The Afghan Minister for Refugees and Repatriations, Sayed Hussain Alemi Balkhi (a name that I will never forget) met activists and politicians from different countries and boldly said since the departure of international forces, there had been a resurgence in Taliban activity and that now 80% of the country (all but three provinces) were now unsafe. He gave his opinion that removals to Afghanistan from European Countries should be suspended in the light of the deterioration in the security situation. Minister Balkhi asked the attendees to use their contacts to put lobby for the cancellation of two upcoming charter flights, one from Norway on 15 March 2015 and one from the United Kingdom, on 10 March. Read more...
European Court of Justice rules UK can withhold benefits to EU migrants without right to reside (30 June 2016)
On the 14 June 2016, the European Court of Justice made a judgement in the case of the European Commission v United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Regulation (EC) No 883/2004) Case C-308/14. Read more...
LGBTI – Another Vulnerable Group Failed by the Secretary of State for the Home Department (30 June 2016)
There are two fundamental concerns regarding the detention of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons. The first is that these types of asylum claims are inherently complex and as such are not suitable for detention; the second is that detention is not appropriate due to the discrimination and abuse LGBTI persons are subjected to in detention and the persecution they have often experienced which forms the basis of their asylum claim. Read more...
The Art of Making the Perfect Bundle (30 June 2016)
Court bundles, although perhaps not the most titillating of topics, are a key component in litigation. If made properly, and available in good time, a bundle has the potential to imbue a Judge with confidence that you have considered and prepared your case with competence. Once the trial is over and all the submissions have been made, your bundle remains with the Judge as he/she considers their Judgment. If the Court fails to be impressed with your bundle, there is the potential for censure, the making of adverse costs orders against you, or your firm being named and shamed. Read more...
College of Policing issues guidance on ethical undercover policing (30 June 2016)
The College of Policing has issued guidelines outlining how undercover policing should be used to gather legal evidence and intelligence. Read more...
Seven-year jail term for family who defrauded employer of £2.8m (30 June 2016)
A family who stole £2.8 million from an employer has been sentenced to a total of seven years and four months in prison. Read more...
Home Office immigration and national security adviser to head up EU unit (30 June 2016)
The government has announced that the Second Permanent Secretary at the Home Office Oliver Robbins will head up the EU unit in the Cabinet Office, which will consider the UK’s options for its relationship with Europe outside the EU. Read more...
£525,000 penalty after worker is killed by falling boxes (29 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Plymouth company, after an employee suffered fatal injuries when a stack of boxes of frozen fish fell on him. Read more...
Ineffectiveness of antidepressants for children leaves gap in treatments available, says SANE (29 June 2016)
Mental health charity SANE has said that new research suggesting that most antidepressant drugs are ineffective for children and teens leaves “a gap in any treatments that are available” to youngsters with mental health issues. Read more...
London Assembly considers how London Plan on housing can be amended to reflect capital’s population growth (29 June 2016)
The London Assembly (LA) Planning Committee is meeting on Wednesday (29/06/16) to consider a review of the current London Plan on housing in the capital. Read more...
London Assembly Police and Crime Committee public meeting on merging borough commands (29 June 2016)
In the first public Q&A session with the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, the recently appointed Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime Sophie Linden – and Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey QPM – will answer questions on the proposed merger of borough commands in London and whether the merger is key to “real neighbourhood policing”. Read more...
Effective leadership crucial to improving children’s services, says Ofsted (29 June 2016)
Ofsted’s third Social Care Annual Report published on Tuesday (28/06/16) has said that there are still too many inadequate children’s services departments across the country. Read more...
Duncan Lewis’ Court of Appeal Judgment clarifies approach to be taken by Secretary of State in asylum certified cases (28 June 2016)
In the case of FR & Anor (Albania), R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2016] EWCA Civ 605, the Court of Appeal has given an important ruling as to the approach that needs to be followed by the Secretary of State in certifying asylum and human rights claims as “clearly unfounded” under section 94(3) of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. The Court emphasised the need for the Secretary of State to give separate consideration to a claim for asylum, where she decides whether the claim should be refused, and the decision on the issue of certification. Certification is only possible where the claim permits of only one answer before a tribunal and would be bound to fail. On the facts of these cases, the Court quashed the certificates. Read more...
London Mayor to take action to prevent London property being sold off as “golden bricks” to overseas investors (28 June 2016)
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has criticised a scheme by his predecessor to prevent London homes being sold as “golden bricks” to overseas investors. Read more...
Wales commits to tackling domestic violence and child abuse (28 June 2016)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children Secretary, Carl Sargeant, has reiterated his commitment to tackling Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence. Read more...
Sheffield City Council crack down on Blue Badge fraud (28 June 2016)
Sheffield City Council has launched a crack down on Blue Badge fraud, which is estimated to cost the UK around £46 million every year. Read more...
Brexit – I am an EU Citizen living in the UK – What are my options? (27 June 2016)
The results for the EU Referendum are out and the people of Britain have voted by a narrow majority to leave the EU. With both sides of the campaign acknowledging this to be a ‘historic’ day for very different reasons, many EU citizens living and working in the UK will be concerned about what the future now holds for them.
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Wales should be proud of cancer care improvements, says Health Minister (27 June 2016)
Welsh Assembly Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said that NHS Wales should be proud of a rise in the number of people surviving cancer – but improvement is still needed. Read more...
ASE cameras rolled out across Birmingham and Solihull to reduce injuries and fatalities (27 June 2016)
Birmingham City Council has confirmed that new Average Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras will be installed and switched on in Birmingham and Solihull on 18 July. Read more...
Jail sentence for “faith healer” who netted £145,000 from victims (27 June 2016)
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a man claiming to be a successful faith healer, after he defrauded several women of £145,000. Read more...
Dance school principal prosecuted for fraud over teacher accreditation course (27 June 2016)
Bromley Council Trading Standards team has prosecuted the owner of a dancing school, after he fraudulently offered dance teachers’ qualifications he was not authorised to provide. Read more...
Frontline to train more children’s social workers in Birmingham (27 June 2016)
Birmingham City Council has announced that its partnership with Frontline will see the expansion of the Frontline programme in the West Midlands to recruit and develop children’s social workers. Read more...
Newport company prosecuted over breaches of food hygiene (27 June 2016)
Newport City Council in South Wales has prosecuted a food company, after produce found on its premises sparked a food alert. Read more...
Hounslow Council targets kerb crawlers in bid to prevent vulnerable women working as prostitutes (27 June 2016)
Hounslow Police and Hounslow Council are targeting kerb crawlers in the borough in efforts to safeguard women involved in prostitution – some of whom may be victims of human trafficking. Read more...
Salford’s 4k CCTV system leads to 98 arrests in three months (27 June 2016)
Salford City Council’s CCTV system resulted in the arrest of 98 people in the first three months of 2016. Read more...
Birmingham welcomes final group of refugees under current Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme (27 June 2016)
Birmingham City Council has announced that it has welcomed a family of four from Syria as part of its refugee resettlement programme. Read more...
Thanet Council urges private sector landlords to attend landlords’ event (27 June 2016)
Thanet Council in Kent is hosting its annual landlords’ event on 29 June, which it says is an opportunity for the council and landlords to work together with the aim of improving the management and standards of homes in the private rented sector. Read more...
Stockton-on-Tees invites mental health patients to take part in Community Learning Mental Health pilot (27 June 2016)
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is inviting anyone in the borough who has a mental health condition to take part in its programme of workshops and activities for people with mental health issues, as part of a national research project. Read more...
660 new homes planned for Kent’s former Powergen site at Ashford (27 June 2016)
Ashford Council in Kent has announced that planning permission has been granted to property regeneration company U+I, to redevelop the former Powergen site at Victoria Way in Ashford.
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Nottingham City Council may seek judicial review of Chief Constable’s decision to scrap city division (27 June 2016)
Nottingham City Council is threatening to seek judicial review of a decision by the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire Police to scrap the city division. Read more...
Rotherham CSE survivor to speak at Birmingham conference (27 June 2016)
Rotherham Council has announced that a survivor of child sexual exploitation (CSE) is to tell her story on a national platform on Thursday 30 June, to help agencies work together to tackle the crime. Read more...
Nottinghamshire Police issue warning about bogus police officers raiding victims’ bank accounts (24 June 2016)
Nottinghamshire Police has issued a warning to the public to be aware that fraudsters posing as Metropolitan Police officers are operating in Nottinghamshire. Read more...
Gloucestershire appoints ASIST trainer to support mental health patients at risk of suicide (24 June 2016)
Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC) public health team has funded training for an officer to train frontline staff in how to support people who are feeling suicidal. Read more...
Darlington Council prosecutes eight people over fly tipping and littering offences (24 June 2016)
Magistrates in Darlington have issued fines of £4,000, after eight defendants faced charges relating to environmental offences in June. Read more...
In aid of Refugee Week, Duncan Lewis’s Director Toufique Hossain set to host “It Needs to Stop” discussion on the immigration detention of pregnant women (23 June 2016)
Duncan Lewis Solicitors are pleased to announce that in support of Refugee Week, Immigration & Public Law Director Toufique Hossain will be hosting a legal discussion on the detention of pregnant women in immigration removal centres from the company’s Harrow office on Friday 24th June at 4,30 pm. Speakers at the “It Needs to Stop” discussion currently include also Michelle Brewer, barrister at Garden Court Chambers, and Theresa Schleicher of Medical Justice. Read more...
Liverpool City Council planning to set up its own housing company (23 June 2016)
Liverpool City Council is planning to set up a new housing company which could help thousands of people on to the property ladder. Read more...
Shared ownership homes underway in North Yorkshire as a result of Homes & Communities Agency grant (23 June 2016)
Craven District Council in North Yorkshire is preparing to start work on shared ownership housing schemes, after receiving £72,000 from the government^s Homes & Communities Agency, which was approved by the council^s policy committee in June.
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£51,000 penalty for care home director, after elderly patient falls to his death (23 June 2016)
Sandwell Council in the West Midlands has welcomed the conviction of the former director of a Wednesbury care home, after an elderly man fell to his death from a top floor window at the home. Read more...
Newport YOT praised for success in turning young people away from crime (23 June 2016)
Newport City Council^s youth offending team (YOT) has been praised for helping young people turn away from crime. Read more...
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue raises awareness of risks of water during Drowning Prevention Week (22 June 2016)
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is warning the public to be aware of the risks of water and swimming during Drowning Prevention Week, which runs between 18 and 26 June. Read more...
Government urges new fathers to consider taking shared parental leave and pay (22 June 2016)
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is encouraging eligible fathers to take their share of up to 39 weeks of pay and 52 weeks of parental leave with their child’s mother in the first year of their baby’s life. Read more...
£40,000 fine after rubber industry worker develops allergic contact dermatitis (22 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Hereford-based company, after a worker contracted contact dermatitis from working with rubber. Read more...
Oxfordshire prosecutes lorry drivers for breaching weight restrictions (22 June 2016)
Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team has prosecuted six lorry drivers for breaching weight restrictions on roads across Oxfordshire. Read more...
Suspended jail term and driving ban, after rear shunt at speed kills two teenagers (21 June 2016)
A motorist found guilty of causing the deaths of two teenage girls in East Hertfordshire has been sentenced to 16 months imprisonment suspended for two years – and was disqualified from driving for 18 months at St Albans Crown Court on Monday, 13 June 2016. Read more...
Cambridgeshire launches Keep Your Head mental health website for young people (21 June 2016)
Cambridgeshire County Council is to launch a new website to help children and young people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough tackle mental health issues. Read more...
£16,000 fine for planning breach involving tenanted property (21 June 2016)
Hounslow Council in west London has prosecuted a homeowner for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice. Read more...
Suspended sentence for unregistered gas fitter (21 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a gas fitter from the West Midlands, after he fitted a hob at a house in Tamworth, Staffordshire while not being a Gas Safe registered worker. Read more...
The Detention of Pregnant Women: It Needs to Stop (20 June 2016)
In his January 2016 review into the Welfare in Detention of Vulnerable Persons, Stephen Shaw, the former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales, recommended that ‘the Home Office amend its guidance so that the presumptive exclusion from detention for pregnant women is replaced with an absolute exclusion.’ Read more...
Aina Khan leads Amsterdam Conference on ‘Proof of Marriage and Paternity in the Context of Migration’ (20 June 2016)
Recommended by Legal 500 for her expertise in Family & Islamic Divorce matters, Aina Khan was invited as a guest of the Dutch Association for the Study of Islamic Law and Law of the Middle East (Association RIMO) to present a lecture at an annual international conference on ^Proof of Marriage and Paternity in the Context of Migration^ at Leiden University in Amsterdam on 14th June. Read more...
Merseyside launches summer drink-drive campaign – and warns about drug-driving risks (20 June 2016)
Merseyside Police Force has launched its annual summer drink-drive campaign to warn motorists to drink responsibly this summer.
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Authorities tackle anti-social behaviour by illegal motorcyclists in Gateshead (20 June 2016)
Gateshead Council and Northumbria Police are warning illegal motorbike riders in two areas of Gateshead that they face being prosecuted if caught, after local residents contacted the council about people riding motorbikes on fields, causing damage to private and public land. Read more...
Barnet Council crackdown on Blue Badge fraud (20 June 2016)
Barnet Council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) have seized six Blue Badges, after carrying out spot checks on a total of 66 displayed badges, which entitle disabled drivers to free parking. Read more...
Letting agent prosecuted for ghost-listing properties (20 June 2016)
Islington Council in north London has prosecuted a letting agent who advertised rental flats that were not on the market – a practice sometimes known as “ghost-listing”. Read more...
Craven District Council buys first shared ownership property to sell on (20 June 2016)
Craven District Council in the Yorkshire Dales has announced that it has bought its first newly constructed, two-bedroom house, to sell on a shared ownership basis. Read more...
£600,000 penalty for BT, after engineer breaks back and ankles in fall from height (20 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted British Telecom plc (BT), after an engineer fell seven metres from a loft in London, breaking his back and his ankles. Read more...
Jail term for selling unlicensed medicines and money laundering (17 June 2016)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has prosecuted a man from Tooting in south London for importing and selling unlicensed erectile dysfunction and hair loss medicines. Read more...
South Gloucestershire introduces suicide prevention training for frontline workers (17 June 2016)
South Gloucestershire Council is introducing a suicide prevention training programme, which aims to help reduce the number of suicides in South Gloucestershire. Read more...
NHS Wales “achieves high levels of patient satisfaction” (17 June 2016)
Welsh Assembly (WA) Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Vaughan Gething, has said that a recent survey has revealed high levels of patient satisfaction in the Welsh NHS.
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DVLA issues alert over email phishing scam (17 June 2016)
The DVLA has issued a warning to the public about scams asking motorists to provide personal details and confirm credit card details. Read more...
£1.1m fine after worker is killed in explosion (16 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Kent tyre company, after a 21-year-old employee was killed when a tyre exploded. Read more...
Community service and fine for gas engineer who put tenants’ lives at risk (16 June 2016)
Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a gas engineer to 120 hours of community service for putting tenants at risk in rented homes at Chelmsford in Essex. Read more...
Gang sentenced for importing licensed drugs illegally (16 June 2016)
A gang which imported erectile dysfunction drugs and tranquillisers illegally has been sentenced after prosecution by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Read more...
West Berkshire Council launches campaign to highlight Adult Safeguarding (16 June 2016)
West Berkshire Council is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of Adult Safeguarding, which will be rolled out over the next few months. Read more...
Cheshire West and Chester Council consults on children’s services (15 June 2016)
Cheshire West and Chester Council is currently consulting on its 0-19 Years Services and Children’s Centres. Read more...
NHS Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees consultation on fertility services (15 June 2016)
The NHS in Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees has launched a public consultation on fertility services. Read more...
Changes to Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010 (15 June 2016)
Companies House has announced that, from 1 August, new legislation amending the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010 will enable a third party to issue proceedings directly against the insurer of a dissolved company. Read more...
£10,500 penalty after worker loses fingers in industrial accident (15 June 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a London-based metal packaging company, after a worker trapped his hand in a power press and lost two fingers.
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Mental health trust nominated for Patient Safety Awards, in Care of Older People category (14 June 2016)
Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH) has been nominated for the Patient Safety in Care of Older People category in the Patient Safety Awards. Read more...
Boston claws back £61,000 in Lincolnshire crackdown on Single Person Discount fraud (14 June 2016)
Boston Borough Council in Lincolnshire has said that in Boston, a total of £61,000 has been reclaimed from people who have wrongly or fraudulently claimed the Single Person Discount (SPD) for Council Tax. Read more...
Council buys local hotel to house homeless on temporary basis (14 June 2016)
Spelthorne Borough Council has announced its decision to purchase a hotel in Ashford, to provide temporary accommodation for homeless households. Read more...
Prison sentence for counterfeit DVD and CD market trader (13 June 2016)
Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire Trading Standards have prosecuted a market trader for selling fake DVDs and CDs from two stalls at a market in Hertfordshire. Read more...
Warning that counterfeit goods may be funding terrorism (13 June 2016)
Lincolnshire Trading Standards is warning consumers that counterfeit trainers may end up funding terrorism. Read more...
118,080 illicit and counterfeit cigarettes seized in Staffordshire (13 June 2016)
An operation funded by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) and supported by the Department of Health has recovered illicit tobacco products from four towns in Staffordshire. Read more...
£1,500 fine for selling Category D write-off and car which was not roadworthy (13 June 2016)
Derbyshire Trading Standards officers have prosecuted a second-hand car salesman for selling a car with a false service history and failing to tell a buyer that a vehicle had been written off. Read more...
Essex council deploys extra police to crack down on crime and anti-social behaviour in summer months (13 June 2016)
Tendring Council in Essex has announced that extra police officers will be out on the streets of Tendring over the summer months, in a bid to deter crime and anti-social behaviour.
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Derbyshire County Council forced to end disabled children’s short breaks to save money (13 June 2016)
Derbyshire County Council has said that budget cuts mean short-break services for some disabled children are to end. Read more...
Tackling violent crime and domestic violence is “highest priority”, says Royal Borough of Greenwich (13 June 2016)
New crime figures for the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south London show a 17.4% drop in crime rates for the borough, after measures to tackle youth crime, violent crime and domestic violence. Read more...
Study highlights how bullying and academic pressures can increase risk of suicide in teens (13 June 2016)
A leading mental health expert from Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) has said that a recent report into suicide and homicide by mental health patients highlights two very important contributory factors in teenage suicides that are underestimated – academic pressures and bullying. Read more...
West Midlands launches summer campaign to help public spot signs of grooming and child sexual exploitation (13 June 2016)
Dudley Council in the West Midlands has said that it is the duty of everyone to play their part in tackling child sexual exploitation (CSE).
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Council launches Good Egg In-Car Safety campaign to tackle badly fitted child car seats (13 June 2016)
St Helens Council has adopted the award-winning Good Egg In-Car Safety campaign, to tackle rising number of incorrectly fitted child car seats in St Helens. Read more...
Inspectorate report praises Hampshire County Council's Youth Offending Team (13 June 2016)
Hampshire County Council^s Youth Offending Team (YOT) has been praised by HM Inspectorate of Probation for their committed and creative staff – and their engagement with young people and their families. Read more...
Medway Trading Standards shut down illegal tobacco store after sniffer dogs find secret floor lift (13 June 2016)
Medway Council Trading Standards officers in Kent have shut down a convenience sore in Gillingham, after a secret radio-controlled lift filled with thousands of illegal cigarettes was found in the shop floor.
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Lincolnshire offers free central heating to eligible tenants and homeowners (13 June 2016)
A new scheme in Lincolnshire is offering eligible homeowners or tenants the opportunity to have a central heating system installed for free, if their property has never had a heating system fitted. Read more...
Greenwich charity appeals for donations to help Syrian refugees in Greece (13 June 2016)
The Royal Borough of Greenwich has announced that local charity GRAce – Greenwich Refugee Aid: clothing, essentials – has launched an appeal for donations of clothing and essential supplies, to send to the Greek island of Chios for Syrian refugees. Read more...
£60,000 fine for persistent food hygiene breaches (13 June 2016)
A man who ran an illegal fish processing business and supplied food products unfit for human consumption has been fined £60,000 for multiple food hygiene and health and safety breaches. Read more...
Rogue trader who stashed £150,000 offshore asked to repay £279,979 under POCA (10 June 2016)
Surrey County Council Trading Standards officers looking for funds defrauded out of elderly customers by a “cowboy” gardener have discovered that he managed to hide £150,000 in offshore bank accounts. Read more...
Northern football clubs back anti drink-drive campaign during Euro 2016 (10 June 2016)
Football clubs across northeast England are backing a campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of drink driving during Euro 2016, which kicks off on 10 June.
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Bedford launches Triple P service to help with parenting problems (10 June 2016)
Bedford Borough Council’s Early Help team has joined forces with partners from the voluntary sector and schools to deliver the Triple P service to help parents raise children and teenagers. Read more...
New bowel cancer test for 60- to 74-year-olds rolled out across England (9 June 2016)
The Department of Health (DoH) has announced that men and women aged 60 to 74 living in England will be offered a simple bowel cancer home testing kit. Read more...
Newcastle City Council builds affordable new homes for over-55s (9 June 2016)
Newcastle City Council says that a new development for older residents is well underway – and will create a brand new community in Walker, with a particular focus on people aged over 55. Read more...
£6,000 penalty for company which imported dangerous toys based on “Frozen” character (9 June 2016)
Manchester City Council has prosecuted a local company and its director, after Trading Standards officers discovered they had imported dangerous dolls based on the Disney cartoon Frozen. Read more...
“Ten-year wait” before children receive mental health support (8 June 2016)
A new review by the Centre for Mental Health has found that children can wait as long as ten years for mental health support. Read more...
Suffolk Waste Partnership warns fly tippers that Fixed Penalty Notices are likely (8 June 2016)
Suffolk Waste Partnership has warned potential fly tippers that as a result of new powers that came into force in May, anyone caught dumping rubbish in the country could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. Read more...
Landmark prosecution against tenant who sub-let council flat and unlawfully evicted tenant (8 June 2016)
Sheffield County Council has prosecuted a Sheffield resident who illegally sub-let his council home – and then evicted his tenant using force.
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Denbighshire Council embarks on £1.1m social housing refurbishment (7 June 2016)
Denbighshire County Council is to invest more than £1 million refurbishing social housing flats in Prestatyn. Read more...
Cambridge City Council’s new housing company hands over first rental property to tenants (7 June 2016)
Cambridge City Housing Company – a new company set up and wholly owned by Cambridge City Council to deliver sub-market rental homes to “intermediate” tenants – has handed over its first rental property to tenants. Read more...
Hartlepool Council and Cleveland Fire Brigade warn of carbon monoxide risks with disposable BBQs (7 June 2016)
Cleveland Fire Brigade has warned that disposable barbecues should never be taken inside tents, caravans, and conservatories because of the risks of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Read more...
Somerset Council asks for parental feedback on new government-funded childcare from 2017 (7 June 2016)
Somerset County Council wants to hear from families on new plans that will give working parents of three- and four-year-olds 30 hours of funded childcare per week from September 2017, to find out what their childcare needs are. Read more...
Suspended sentence for “rogue” trader who netted more than £240,000 fraudulently (6 June 2016)
Torbay Council is warning tradespeople who are trading illegally that they face being prosecuted. Read more...
Crackdown on Single Person Discount fraud across Lincolnshire (6 June 2016)
The Lincolnshire councils Counter Fraud Partnership has launched a crackdown on Single Person Discount fraud. Read more...
£2,141 penalty for unlicensed and uninsured illegal cab driver (6 June 2016)
An illegal taxi driver from Stockton-on-Tees has been prosecuted for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence and for driving without insurance. Read more...
Safer Hartlepool campaign targets illegal off-road drivers and bikers (6 June 2016)
The Safer Hartlepool Partnership is spearheading a campaign targeting those who use motor vehicles or drive off-road bikes illegally and cause nuisance and danger in communities. Read more...
Islington Council starts building new council homes and affordable housing to buy (6 June 2016)
Islington Council in north London has begun work on 51 new council homes at Dover Court in the south of the borough. Read more...
Birmingham City Council prosecutes “rogue” HMO landlord (6 June 2016)
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a landlord for failing to apply for a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence – and ten breaches of the House in Multiple Occupation Management Regulations. Read more...
Government “waves through” planning application rejected by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (6 June 2016)
The Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has reacted to the decision by the government to allow 550 homes to be built on land in Ingleby Barwick – despite the application being unanimously rejected by the Council’s Planning Committee. Read more...
£127,000 compensation order for council tenant who illegally sublet property (6 June 2016)
Barnet Council in north London has prosecuted a council tenant who illegally sublet his council-owned home for 16 years. Read more...
Shropshire County Council supports National Carers Week from 6 June (6 June 2016)
Shropshire County Council has said that the county will be supporting National Carers Week – running from 6 to 11 June – with events organised by Carers Trust 4all. Read more...
Islington Council to issue Fixed Penalty Notices to fly-tippers (6 June 2016)
Islington Council has become one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce on-the-spot fines of up to £400 for fly tippers, under new powers to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to those who dump litter. Read more...
Merseyside Police question suspected loan sharks (6 June 2016)
Merseyside Police have arrested two men on suspicion of illegal money lending, following an operation in Sefton on Merseyside. Read more...
Leeds City Council honours its foster carers (6 June 2016)
Leeds City Council has recognised the work of foster carers in the city at an awards ceremony to celebrate foster carers “who go the extra mile”. Read more...
Newham Council’s repair and maintenance team starts building first new homes in borough for 30 years (6 June 2016)
Newham Council has started work on the first homes to be built in the borough for 30 years. Read more...
Rainham residents consulted over demolition of existing homes to replace deteriorating tower blocks (6 June 2016)
Residents in Rainham in Essex have been briefed on plans to demolish and existing property to build new homes. Read more...
Suspended sentence for bogus solicitor offering unregulated immigration advice (6 June 2016)
A bogus solicitor who provided unregulated immigration advice has pleaded guilty to charges of providing unregulated immigration advice and services between March 2012 and January 2016.
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