Legal News News
Lincolnshire County Council’s Adoption Service wins First4Adoption’s Excellence in Adoption Practice Award (31 October 2016)
Lincolnshire County Council has announced that its Adoption Service has won First4Adoption’s Excellence in Adoption Practice Award. Read more...
Jail for driver left tetraplegic after crashing car and killing or injuring four young boys (31 October 2016)
The driver of a car which crashed in Leeds – killing two young passengers and leaving another paraplegic and a fourth with serious head injuries –has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail. Read more...
London Health Committee event considers mental health among the LGBT community. (31 October 2016)
A City Hall event in London has highlighted mental health among the LGBT community. Read more...
28th October 2016: The second reading of The Homelessness Reduction Bill (28 October 2016)
Homelessness is an issue that affects a large number of the UK’s population. The Homelessness Reduction Bill presents a historic opportunity to bring about a significant change in tackling homelessness around England. Read more...
City of York council finds nearly one-third of letting agents failing to comply with legislation (28 October 2016)
City of York Council has found that nearly one-third of letting and property agents are failing to comply with legislation, despite being advised of new laws. Read more...
11,000GBP nominal penalty for liquidated company, after worker dies following electrocution (28 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a London-based environmental services company, after a worker was killed during asbestos removal work at a high school in Wales. Read more...
Woking Borough Council closes dangerous rental property after Home Office immigration tip off (27 October 2016)
Woking Borough Council is considering taking legal action against a private landlord, after intelligence provided by Home Office Immigration Enforcement Officers resulted in the immediate closure of private rented accommodation. Read more...
Gang sentenced to more than 52 years for “sham marriage” immigration scam (27 October 2016)
Wolverhampton Crown Court has jailed 11 people, after they were found guilty of facilitating and participating in sham marriages between European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and non-EEA nationals. Read more...
Welsh government announces £18m investment in neonatal care for Wales (27 October 2016)
Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has approved new funding to build the new Sub-Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Centre (SuRNICC ) at Ysybty Glan Clwyd.
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Kent fly tipper given handed £1,600 penalty (26 October 2016)
Ashford Borough Council in Kent has prosecuted a local man for fly tipping offences in Ashford and Tonbridge and Malling boroughs. Read more...
Doctors directed not to follow instructions in Living Wills made under Mental Capacity Act 2005 (26 October 2016)
Court of Protection judges have directed doctors not to follow patient instructions contained in Living Wills, without referring the case to the court for a decision.
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Sandwell Council announces nearly 100 new council homes (26 October 2016)
Sandwell Council in the West Midlands has announced that nearly 100 new council homes are to be built in West Bromwich. Read more...
Pentonville Prison stabbing: one dead, two injured. Prison conditions must improve to prevent future death in custody cases. (26 October 2016)
A stabbing in Pentonville Prison has left one prisoner dead and two others critically injured. This has led to the Prison Governors Association (PGA) criticising prison conditions. Read more...
Council’s shortfall leaves self-funded care home residents paying more (26 October 2016)
Self-funded care home residents pay more for their weekly care than the council pay for those residents who can’t afford their care, Age UK has warned. Read more...
New court fee proposals risk less access to justice for those who need it most (26 October 2016)
It is important that specialist legal advice is sought with immigration applications due to ever-changing policy and legislation. Failure to do so often leads to refusals and complex appeal circumstances.
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Welsh campaign to attract more GPs, nurses and health professionals “a clear commitment” to investing in primary care (25 October 2016)
First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones has said that a new campaign to train and attract more GPs to Wales shows that “Wales is a fantastic place to train, work and live”. Read more...
Jail for persistent Council Tax defaulter (25 October 2016)
Mid and South East Northumberland Magistrates’ Court has jailed a man with longstanding Council Tax arrears for non-payment. Read more...
UK priorities include keeping border secure, protecting vulnerable and tackling criminal gangs, as Calais camp is dismantled (25 October 2016)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said that the UK and French governments remain committed to ensuring that children who are eligible to come to the UK are brought over as quickly as possible from the “Jungle” camp in Calais – and those still in the camp are given protection. Read more...
Bath and North Somerset hosts affordable housing event update (24 October 2016)
Bath & North East Somerset Council is holding an Affordable Homes Show on 26 October, with local housing associations and developers attending. Read more...
Brighton restaurant loses alcohol licence after repeated warnings from council and police visits (24 October 2016)
Brighton & Hove City Council^s licensing team has removed a seafood restaurant’s alcohol licence, after the restaurant persistently breached the conditions of its alcohol licence. Read more...
High street pharmacies facing modernisation to remove pressure from GPs and A&E (24 October 2016)
The Department of Health (DoH) has announced that high street pharmacies will be modernised to relieve pressure on GP surgeries and A&E. Read more...
30,000GBP fine after worker suffers crush injuries to arm in machinery (24 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Lancashire-based environmental services company, after a worker suffered serious injuries when his arm was crushed by machinery. Read more...
Is an Infestation taking over your home? (24 October 2016)
The unavoidable truth is that far too many people in the UK live in homes that fall below an acceptable standard, with thousands of families forced to cope with poor conditions. Read more...
Award-winning entrepreneur is disqualified for 13 years for misuse of investors’ funds (21 October 2016)
An entrepreneur who misused investors^ funds has been handed a 13-year disqualification, after an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
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Three times as many patients under mental health crisis teams take their own lives, says new report (21 October 2016)
University of Manchester’s 20th National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness (NCISH) report has found that more than 200 suicide deaths per year now occur in patients under mental health crisis teams – three times as many as among inpatients. Read more...
Amendment to Policing and Crime Bill will cover now abolished sexual offences involving gay and bisexual men (21 October 2016)
The Ministry of Justice has announced that thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted of now abolished sexual offences will be posthumously pardoned. Read more...
Implementation of new housing measures to stop overcrowding (20 October 2016)
Housing Minister Gavin Barwell has announced that minimum room sizes will apply to shared homes, to help to clamp down on rogue landlords cramming tenants into unsafe and overcrowded homes and improve housing for thousands of rental tenants. Read more...
Director receives maximum disqualification for fraudulent VAT evasion (20 October 2016)
The director of a mobile phone company who was investigated by the Insolvency Service had been disqualified for 15 years, after being found guilty of fraudulent VAT evasion.
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Suspended sentence for landlord who exposed tenant to carbon monoxide (20 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Durham landlord following his failure to maintain or check the gas fittings in one of his properties. Read more...
Police officers charged following Kingsley Burrell custody death (20 October 2016)
The Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’) has announced there is now "sufficient evidence to charge" the West Midlands officers who had been involved in the restraint of Mr Kingsley Burrell hours before his death in 2011. The matter had been referred to the CPS in 2014 but it had concluded there was insufficient evidence to establish a prosecution. Read more...
Welsh government draft budget secures an extra £20m for mental health services (20 October 2016)
Welsh mental health charity Mind Cymru has responded to the Welsh government’s proposal of an extra £20 million in funding for mental health services in Wales, published in a draft budget on Tuesday (18/10/16). Read more...
A&E Delays in accepting ambulance patients (19 October 2016)
Ambulance patients can sometimes face long delays before they are seen by accident and emergency staff. Read more...
Birth injuries new fast-track compensation scheme will apparently “save NHS millions” (19 October 2016)
A new “rapid resolution” scheme has been revealed by the Government in an apparent attempt to save the NHS millions and end what the Government calls the “litigation culture”. Read more...
Professor Alexis Jay refuses to ignore the past in child abuse inquiry (19 October 2016)
One of the UK’s most controversial inquiries has stated that there will be no reductions in their broad scope, and they will continue to investigate the past. Read more...
Higher rate of tax for additional residential properties in Wales to continue after April 2018 (19 October 2016)
Welsh Assembly (WA) Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford has confirmed a higher rate of tax for additional residential properties will continue to be levied in Wales when stamp duty land tax is devolved in April 2018.
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Rotherham gang convicted of child sexual exploitation (19 October 2016)
Sheffield Crown Court has convicted eight men from Rotherham on charges of the systematic targeting and sexual exploitation of young girls. Read more...
£44,000 penalty after worker is killed by heavy load (19 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a building contractor, after a worker was killed when a load fell from a tower crane during a lifting operation in Colchester, Essex. Read more...
Government launches new working group on product recalls and safety (19 October 2016)
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy is demanding that the makers of faulty tumble dryers do more to ensure the safety of consumers. Read more...
79% of social housing in Wales meets Welsh Housing Quality Standard (19 October 2016)
Welsh Assembly Communities and Children Secretary Carl Sargeant has welcomed figures which show 79% of all social housing homes met the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) at 31 March 2016 – a rise of 8% on the previous year’s figures. Read more...
DoH launches safer maternity care action plan to improve care and avoid birth injury claims (19 October 2016)
The Department of Health (DoH) has announced the safer maternity care action plan, which provides resources for trusts to improve their approach to maternity safety – including £8 million for multi-disciplinary training, with at least £40,000 available to each NHS trust in England. Read more...
Surgical Complications? Duncan Lewis’ Clinical Negligence Team Can Help (19 October 2016)
In cases where gallbladder stones become trapped in a duct or moves from the gallbladder into other parts of the body, your doctor will recommend a procedure called a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy which removes the gall bladder. Duncan Lewis’ clinical (medical) negligence team have acted on behalf of clients in civil negligence claims for damages where the bowel has been perforated during a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Read more...
£130,000 fine after worker loses part of foot in industrial accident (19 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Bedfordshire-based metal company for safety breaches, after a worker suffered severe leg injuries and underwent partial amputation of his foot in a workplace accident. Read more...
Tower Hamlets OSC makes further recommendations to deliver the Prevent programme for young adults (19 October 2016)
Tower Hamlets Council’s overview and scrutiny committee (OSC) has put forward 13 recommendations to help better deliver the government’s Prevent programme to young people. Read more...
New survey for Parish and Town Councils to find out if community-led housing might make a difference (19 October 2016)
Selby Council has announced that Rural Action Yorkshire and the North and East Yorkshire Rural Housing Enabler Network (RHE Network) have launched a new survey for Parish and Town Councils to find out if community-led housing might make a difference in their village or town. Read more...
Kingston Council consults on AHMOL licensing (19 October 2016)
Kingston Council is reviewing a licensing scheme for shared rental properties, which comes to an end in 2017.
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York Council update on new laws introduced to regulate the private rental sector (19 October 2016)
City of York Council Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods will be updated on Monday (17/01/16) on laws introduced in 2015, which aim to better regulate the private rented sector in York. Read more...
Six-week jail term for tenant who breached injunction to prevent him abusing tenants and council staff (19 October 2016)
Swindon Borough Council has taken action against an abusive tenant who ignored a court injunction ordering him not to abuse his neighbours and council staff. Read more...
Brent Council holds public event to discuss extremism (18 October 2016)
Brent Council has hosted an event to discuss extremism, with leading experts from think tank Demos, Brunel University and City University taking part in a Question Time-style event at the civic centre.
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Colchester dog attack: Baby killed and brother seriously hurt (18 October 2016)
Last Friday there was another dog attack which has resulted in the death of a four month old baby in Colchester, Essex. The mother and brother of the child also suffered serious injuries. Read more...
Safeguards needed to reduce risks to unaccompanied migrant children in Europe (18 October 2016)
The closure of the Calais migrant camp ‘the Jungle’ has received backing from the Children’s Commissioner for England, but the risks remain for unaccompanied children seeking refuge in the UK.
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Kingston Council calls for more private landlords to help resettle Syrian refugees (18 October 2016)
Kingston Council has resettled a second family of Syrian refugees in the borough, after a campaign to find private landlords with suitable accommodation for refugees. Read more...
New mental health strategy for Wales (17 October 2016)
Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has launched the Welsh Government^s new delivery plan to improve mental health and wellbeing in Wales. Read more...
£1,480 penalty for repeated fly tipping in Stockport (17 October 2016)
Stockport Council has prosecuted a fly tipper, after he collected waste from members of the public on two separate occasions – and then simply fly tipped it on land at Alfreton Road and Bean Leach Road in Offerton. Read more...
Bath & North East Somerset Council hosts Affordable Homes Show (17 October 2016)
Bath & North East Somerset Council is hosting an Affordable Homes Show on 26 October in Keynsham, to help local people find out more about the different affordable home ownership options available in the area. Read more...
Accidents at work - most common injuries at the hands of Employers’ negligence (17 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety (H&S). Every month HSE investigates and prosecutes employers for various H&S failings. So far this month HSE has published over ten cases of serious health and safety failings which resulted in heavy fines and prosecutions. Read more...
£212,00 penalty for construction company, after worker undergoes double amputation (17 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Cornwall-based construction company, after a worker lost both legs after being crushed by a dumper truck. Read more...
Theresa May criticizes ‘activist left-wing human rights lawyers’ during closing speech at the Tory Party conference (17 October 2016)
Prime Minister Theresa May has recently announced the move to opt out from parts of the European Convention on Human Rights, meaning troops fighting abroad in times of war will be protection from lawsuits and criminal prosecution upon their return. Read more...
EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN: The importance of explaining salient matters to clients (17 October 2016)
The importance of explaining salient terms in any contract to clients and recording advice provided in writing cannot be over emphasised. It would be reasonable for one to hold a complacent belief that a professional client is capable of understanding contracts. Such was the case in a recent professional negligence claim we, at Duncan Lewis, brought against a firm of solicitors. Our client retained a firm of solicitor to assist in an off plan purchase of a property from a developer. Read more...
Pregnancy test drug victims are losing confidence in current inquiry (17 October 2016)
Labour and Conservative MPs criticise the public panel examining evidence that Primodos, a pregnancy test drug, is connected to birth defects. Read more...
Criminal Finances Bill introduced to tackle money laundering and corruption (14 October 2016)
The Home Office and Scotland Office have announced new legislation to tackle money laundering and corruption, recover the proceeds of crime and counter-terrorist financing. Read more...
West Sussex County Council support National Adoption Week (14 October 2016)
Councillors and staff at West Sussex County Council are showing their support for National Adoption Week from 17 to 23 October by organising a series of drop-in sessions to give residents the opportunity to find out more. Read more...
£207,000 penalty after worker falls five metres through roof (14 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a roofing company, after a worker fell five metres through a roof, sustaining severe injuries. Read more...
Theresa May: UK to be at the forefront of the fight against human trafficking, but what of the victims left behind? (13 October 2016)
Prime Minister Theresa May has called for the UK to lead the global fight against human trafficking, but is this noble battle detracting from the lack of support for victims that have been left behind? Read more...
£1.2m saved as a result of housing fraud investigations in Wolverhampton (13 October 2016)
City of Wolverhampton Council and Wolverhampton Homes have announced that investigations into housing fraud in Wolverhampton saved taxpayers an estimated £1.2 million in 2015. Read more...
Bolton nightclub owner prosecuted for asbestos and safety breaches (13 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Bolton nightclub owner, after he admitted failing to carry out a survey for asbestos before starting on the refurbishment of a local nightclub. Read more...
Cornwall Trading Standards operation reveals retailers willing to sell tobacco or alcohol to minors (13 October 2016)
Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards department has found that three of the seven businesses visited as part of a test purchase operation in Launceston failed the test and sold tobacco or alcohol to a 17-year-old volunteer. Read more...
UK and French governments to cooperate in dismantling Calais migrant camp and tackling illegal immigration (12 October 2016)
Home Secretary Amber Rudd and the French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve have issued a joint statement reaffirming their cooperation in dismantling the migrant camp at Calais – and working together to tackle the migrant crisis and illegal immigration. Read more...
A teenager shared photos of her body to raise awareness of meningitis when diagnosed late (12 October 2016)
Charlene Colechin, an eighteen-year-old teenager from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, has shared photos of her body online after she was treated for bacterial meningitis. She hopes that sharing her photos will raise awareness and prevent other people from suffering the life-changing effects of the disease. Read more...
Preventable Stillbirth Ignored by Short-Staffed Hospital (12 October 2016)
Heavily pregnant mother of two, Angela Owens was told to go home from hospital despite suffering severe pains whilst on a shopping trip. After refusing to leave she was advised by a midwife to get into a birthing pool to relieve the pain. Mrs Owens continued to suffer from excruciating pain and it was only a while later that she was told doctors could not find her baby’s heartbeat. The baby, named Ella, was stillborn. Tests showed Mrs Owens suffered placental abruption. Read more...
Protestors occupy HQ of property guardian company Camelot (12 October 2016)
The headquarters of the property guardian company Camelot was ironically occupied on Tuesday 27 September making headlines in the UK. The company was targeted by activists to raise awareness of property guardians who are suffering due to slack tenancy rights and a lack of affordable social housing. Read more...
Swindon Borough Council appoints two specialists to tackle child on family member violence (12 October 2016)
Swindon Borough Council has appointed two new specialists to help tackle child on family member violence in Swindon. Read more...
Fine for resident who breached enforcement notice banning unauthorised building (12 October 2016)
The Royal Borough of Maidenhead and Windsor has prosecuted a Wraysbury resident for unauthorised building. Read more...
Nottingham City Council warns landlords not to breach rules on display of letting boards (12 October 2016)
Nottingham City Council is warning landlords across the city to comply with an obligation to remove “to let” signs in certain parts of Nottingham – or face prosecution. Read more...
Warning over dangers of using counterfeit dental equipment (12 October 2016)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is joining forces with the British Dental Industry Association (BDIA) to warn of the risks of buying non-compliant and counterfeit dental devices. Read more...
CPS launches public consultation on new hate crime guidance to cover social media abuse (11 October 2016)
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has issued guidance on the range of offences for which social media users could face prosecution. Read more...
Harlow Council hosts housing event for tenants and leaseholders to explain government changes (11 October 2016)
Harlow Council in Essex is urging tenants and leaseholders to attend their annual housing conference event to find out more about changes which could affect them. Read more...
Royal Borough of Greenwich hosts events in support of National Hate Crime Week (11 October 2016)
As part of National Hate Crime Week, The Royal Borough of Greenwich will be running events throughout the week, with community pop-ups in Woolwich, Eltham and Greenwich.
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MHRA advice on unlicensed homeopathic products for babies and toddlers (11 October 2016)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning parents not to use unlicensed homeopathic teething tablets or gels available to buy online, due to the risk of side effects. Read more...
New 20mph speed limit introduced in parts of Birmingham (11 October 2016)
Birmingham City Council is warning motorists that a new 20mph speed limit has come into force across parts of Birmingham. Read more...
Islington bakery prosecuted for mouse infestation and incorrect nutritional claims (11 October 2016)
Islington Council has prosecuted a bakery and its owner for offences including uncontrolled pest activity and incorrect nutritional claims. Read more...
The triggering of Article 50: who decides? (10 October 2016)
Mucking along doesn’t always work. We pride ourselves in the United Kingdom on thriving without a written constitution or code. We are better than that apparently, a nation of pragmatists and deal-makers, unfettered by text. The powers of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary are balanced by a series of precedents and ‘Gentlemen’s Agreements’ (conventions). The events of 23 June have jerked us out of our smuggery. No-one knows what to do. There is no precedent. It is up for grabs. Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union (‘TEU’) allows any member state to withdraw from the Union ‘in accordance with its own constitutional requirements.’ Meanwhile, Theresa May has announced that Article 50 will be triggered by the end of March 2017. Can she be so sure? Read more...
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to deliver children’s services through Achieving for Children (10 October 2016)
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has agreed to deliver its children’s services through a partnership with two other councils, following cabinet approval. Read more...
Peterborough Council appoints charity to run fostering and adoption services (10 October 2016)
Peterborough Council has agreed to appoint a charitable organisation to run the council’s new Permanency Service, which includes the current fostering and adoption service. Read more...
Medway Council supports campaign to safeguard adults at risk of domestic abuse (10 October 2016)
Medway Council is supporting a countywide campaign Safeguarding Adults Awareness Week, to help raise awareness of adult abuse and encourage people to report it.
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Leeds City Council uses new audit findings to tackle suicide rates (10 October 2016)
Leeds City Council has welcomed the publication of a suicide audit completed by public health professionals in Leeds. Read more...
Record £700,000 penalty for landlord under Proceeds of Crime Act (10 October 2016)
Wood Green Crown Court has imposed a record fine on a landlord convicted of breaching a planning enforcement notice. Read more...
Sandwell Council supports National Hate Crime Awareness Week (10 October 2016)
Sandwell Council in the West Midlands is urging the public to report any instances of hate crimes. Read more...
Rogue landlord hit with £108,000 in Manchester City Council prosecution (10 October 2016)
Manchester City Council has prosecuted a landlord for serious breaches of management regulations at five properties in the city. Read more...
Director handed second ban after breaching conditions of first disqualification (10 October 2016)
The director of a Middlesbrough-based shop fitting company has been handed an eight-year disqualification, after breaching the terms of an earlier disqualification. Read more...
Wolverhampton Council announces plans to increase supported living housing in the city (10 October 2016)
The City of Wolverhampton Council has announced that it is planning to increase the range of housing options available in the city for people with disabilities or mental health needs. Read more...
HSE prosecutes Tesco after worker falls 30 feet through fragile skylight (10 October 2016)
Supermarket chain Tesco has been fined after health and safety breaches led to a worker falling through a skylight. Read more...
Cambridge City Council considers PSPOs to address problem of uncontrolled dogs (10 October 2016)
Cambridge City Council is considering new public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) to tackle dog-related issues across the city. Read more...
Environment Agency nets 23 illegal anglers in Lincolnshire in one weekend (10 October 2016)
The Environment Agency is considering further action against 23 anglers in Lincolnshire who were discovered fishing without a rod licence. Read more...
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council marks World Mental Health Day with free event (10 October 2016)
Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council in Leicestershire is holding a free event to mark World Mental Health Day today (10/10/16). Read more...
Former police officer given four-year jail term for sexual assaults (10 October 2016)
Stafford Crown Court has sentenced a former police officer with West Midlands Police to four years in jail for sexually assaulting two women while he was on duty. Read more...
£120,000 fine after worker suffers amputation injuries (10 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Halifax-based paper mill, after a worker suffered severe crush injuries to his right hand. Read more...
Choices. Choices. Your choice. Choices. (7 October 2016)
Marriage is a time of good spirits, familial happiness and communal celebration. However, around the world and in the United Kingdom marriage is, for some, a deeply distressing time. Read more...
Film companies wound up for misleading investors (7 October 2016)
The High Court has wound up two film investment companies which took £3 million from the public without providing any returns. Read more...
RICS supports new international measurement standard for domestic property (7 October 2016)
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has said that a new international measurement standard would offer “more clarity and consistency” to users of residential property services, whether they are buying, selling, renting or investing. Read more...
Gloucester Council approves City Plan and agrees to tackle barriers to housing (7 October 2016)
Gloucester City Council has approved The Gloucester City Plan at a full council meeting – and has noted the timetable for the Gloucester City Plan’s subsequent submission to the Planning Inspectorate, which will now progress. Read more...
Hartlepool Council supports World Mental Health Day with free event (7 October 2016)
Hartlepool Council has announced it will be holding a free event to mark World Mental Health Day on Monday (10/10/16). Read more...
Don’t suffer in silence: injuries sustained during childbirth (6 October 2016)
One study in the British Journal of Gynaecology has revealed that 85% of women have some form of tear during their first childbirth. The number of women who suffer from severe third and fourth-degree tears increased from 2% to 6% between 2000 and 2012. Read more...
Highways England HGV cab helps police make 2,700 arrests for motoring offences in 16 months (6 October 2016)
Police forces across England have made nearly 2,700 arrests for driving offences over the last 16 months, as a result of an HGV cab on loan from Highways England. Read more...
Home Builders Federation welcomes government’s new measures to increase house building (6 October 2016)
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has said that measures announced by Secretary of State Sajid Javid to increase house building are a welcome reaffirmation of the new government’s commitment to housing delivery – and also demonstrate that the government is listening to industry concerns. Read more...
£400 penalty for illegal fishing (6 October 2016)
The Environment Agency has prosecuted an angler caught fishing without a rod licence and out of season.
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Peterborough Trading Standards seize more than 120,000 illegal cigarettes in one year (6 October 2016)
Peterborough City Council’s Trading Standards department has seized more than 120,000 illegal cigarettes over the last year, including 300kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco. Read more...
£1,100 fine for salon employing unlicensed beauty therapists (6 October 2016)
Hounslow Council in Greater London has prosecuted the owner of a beauty salon, after health and safety officers found he was providing unlicensed treatments by unqualified staff. Read more...
Jail for scam wine investor who defrauded elderly of thousands of pounds (5 October 2016)
The director of a wine investment company has been jailed for five-and-a-half years, after defrauding elderly investors whom he had cold called with an investment “opportunity”. Read more...
Gloucester City Council steps up enforcement against fly tippers (5 October 2016)
Gloucester City Council has agreed to work closely with local agencies, community groups and Gloucester City Homes to use all available powers to step up enforcement to prosecute those found fly tipping. Read more...
Mind calls for urgent action to ensure mental health has parity with physical health (5 October 2016)
Mental health charity Mind has responded to new figures published by NHS Digital (formerly the Health and Social Care Information Centre) estimating the prevalence of mental health problems across the country. Read more...
Brent Council consults on extending selective licensing scheme for private rented properties (5 October 2016)
Brent Council is launching a consultation to find out whether residents want the council to extend a selective licensing scheme for all private rental properties, as well as licensing for all HMOs. Read more...
Partial closure orders obtained for five Wolverhampton properties in drugs operation (4 October 2016)
The City of Wolverhampton Council supported by West Midlands Police and Midland Heart have obtained partial closure orders for five properties, after the launch of a major operation by police to disrupt the supply of drugs in Wolverhampton. Read more...
Disqualification for restaurant director who employed illegal workers (4 October 2016)
The director of a restaurant who hired illegal workers has been banned from holding a directorship for seven years.
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Disqualification for managing director who raised false invoices (4 October 2016)
The managing director of a company has been disqualified, after an Insolvency Service investigation found he had been raising false or duplicate invoices. Read more...
London exhibition venue and contractor prosecuted after worker falls through skylight (4 October 2016)
A London exhibition venue – The Business Design Centre Ltd in Islington, north London – has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), along with a contractor who was employed to repair a fragile roof. Read more...
Life sentence for rapist who posed as a policeman (3 October 2016)
A man who raped schoolgirls by posing as a police officer has been jailed for life at Wood Green Crown Court. Read more...
Bradford businessman jailed for historical sexual abuse against young boys (3 October 2016)
A wealthy businessman who was a scout and sea cadet leader and helped at the church CB radio club has been sentenced to life imprisonment at Bradford Crown Court, after pleading guilty to 43 charges against 12 victims, involving child sex abuse, rape and a sexual assault on a 19-year-old man. Read more...
Number of people dying with dementia diagnosis “more than doubles” (3 October 2016)
New figures from Public Health England (PHE) show that the proportion of people dying with a recorded dementia diagnosis has more than doubled since 2001. Read more...
New Help to Buy figures show 81% of new homeowners are first-time buyers (3 October 2016)
Quarterly Help to Buy statistics released on Thursday (29/09/16) show that more than 185,000 people have been able to buy a new home as a result of the government’s package of Help to Buy products. Read more...
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead considering joining Achieving for Children (3 October 2016)
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead may be joining Achieving for Children (AfC) – the social enterprise company owned by Richmond and Kingston councils. Read more...
New report says multi-agency approach is best for tackling CSE (3 October 2016)
A new report – Time to listen - a joined up response to child sexual exploitation and missing children – finds that child sexual exploitation can be tackled best when all partners take responsibility for their roles while also working collaboratively, with strategic goals clearly identified, understood and agreed across agencies. Read more...
Extended sentences for three Birmingham men who made hoax kidnap call (3 October 2016)
A court has given three men who made a hoax kidnap call to police an additional six years in jail. Read more...
Gateshead Council urges young drivers to take more care to reduce road accident rates (3 October 2016)
Gateshead Council and Road Safety GB North East are urging younger drivers to be more careful, after statistics showed that young drivers were four times more likely to be involved in road accidents. Read more...
20 years in jail for serial offender who robbed elderly in their homes (3 October 2016)
A man who claimed to be from the water board to gain admittance to the home of an elderly woman has been jailed for 20 years. Read more...
Wolverhampton set to become City of Sanctuary for refugees (3 October 2016)
Wolverhampton organisations have attended an event to promote a national movement seeking to build a network of towns and cities offering hospitality to people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Read more...
HSE issues MoD with Crown Censure over training exercise death (3 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with a Crown Censure, after a soldier died when he was shot in the neck during a training exercise. Read more...
Roofing company prosecuted after worker falls from height (3 October 2016)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a King’s Lynn roofing company, after a worker fell seven metres from a scaffold access ladder while assisting with chimney repairs.
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Market trader prosecuted for selling counterfeit designer goods (3 October 2016)
Tower Hamlets Council in east London has prosecuted a market trader operating in the borough for selling fake designer clothes. Read more...
£3,500 penalty for importing puppies illegally (3 October 2016)
Sheffield City Council’s Environmental Protection Service has taken action against a Sheffield man for selling puppies illegally imported from abroad. Read more...