News & Events

Listed below are the national news items and national events.

LLG Publish Response to the Ministry of Justice Judicial Review Call for Evidence
Publish date: 27/10/2020
LLG supports the need for sustained accountability, transparency, and openness. We consider strongly that there is a positive case for the ongoing scrutiny of public decision making. It enables effective advice to be given within local government to engender robust and lawful decision making, whilst protecting access to justice. The system remains of profound importance in ensuring that the judiciary is separate from the executive within the constitution. Click to read more
Listen to week 20 of The LLG Grapevine
Publish date: 27/10/2020
Talking Law in Local Government
Press Release on LLG's Position to the Exit Payment Cap Regulations
Publish date: 27/10/2020
Like many lawyers, LLG are growing increasingly disturbed by the erosion of the rule of law, the nibbling away at one of the fundamental principles that underpins democracy. The disregard for proper process in parliamentary decision making, coupled with the undermining of parliamentary scrutiny, cannot solely be blamed for the need for fast-paced emergency decision making.
LLG Issue Pre-Action Protocol Letter to HMT in respect of the Exit Payment Cap
Publish date: 23/10/2020
We have today issued a pre-action protocol letter to HM Treasury the content of which highlights the significant legal flaws in the proposed regulations and the process via which they have been brought thus far.
LLG Climate Change 2020 - Book Now
Event date: 11/11/2020
Delivered online for 2020, LLG Climate Change will provide attendees the tools and strategies to lead and develop the climate change and sustainability agenda within their councils through a broad range of sessions focusing on innovation, investment and practical solutions.
New Free Webinar - LLG Brief: The Devolution Agenda, Restructures, and Unitarisation
Event date: 28/10/2020
28th October, 12.00 - 13.00
The LLG Grapevine - week 19 available now
Publish date: 20/10/2020
Talking Law in Local Governemnt
Is Now the Right Time to Review Your Council's Constitution?
Publish date: 19/10/2020
Ed Hammond, Director of Campaigns and Research at the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny examines whether now is the right time to review your constitution in light of the pandemic.
Free Webinar - Current Health & Safety and Employment Issues
Event date: 04/11/2020
4th November, 12.00 - 13.00
The LLG Grapevine - Week 18 available now
Publish date: 12/10/2020
Talking Law in Local Government

Blog

23 October 2020

Publish date: 23/10/2020

Many of you will be aware of the growing concern about some Regulations introduced by HM Treasury which would have the effect of reducing the benefits paid to long serving local government officers in the event they're made redundant.

Given the increased likelihood of redundancy in the sector the timing of this seems particularly pernicious. However, the concerns about the regs are wider than their unfairness and extend to their lawfulness both in the procedural and substantive sense.

Given the level of these concerns and LLG's interest in good governance in public bodies we have sought the advice of Nigel Giffin QC whom many of you will know as one of the leading Public Law QC's currently practising. Earlier this week I met with Nigel and he set out his initial views as to the lawfulness of the exit regulations and the draft pension regulations which have been issued by MHCLG. Nigel identified a number of procedural and substantive flaws which led him to conclude that there was a strong argument that they were unlawful.

In light of Nigel's advice and given the potential impact for a sizeable number of our members, we have decided to write to HM Treasury to set out our concerns about the process, drafting and substantive legality of the regulations in the hope that HMT and MHCLG will pause to reflect on the problems which will arise from these regulations if they are implemented as currently proposed. I must also acknowledge the support we have received from SOLACE and ALACE in seeking this advice and the indications of support we have received from CIPFA.

We have today issued a pre-action protocol letter to HM Treasury the content of which highlights the significant legal flaws in the proposed regulations and the process via which they have been brought thus far. I note that a number of other bodies including the BMA, GMB and Unison have issued pre-action letters and we are liaising with them in the interests of mutually beneficial collaboration.

Naturally, our preference is to resolve this matter without resorting to formal legal action and such a step would not be taken without full and careful consideration by the LLG Board. I will update members via the blog as and when there are further developments, but in the meantime please don't hesitate to contact LLG if you have any questions.

Regards

Quentin Baker

LLG President

To view the Pre-Action Protocol Letter submitted today pleaseclick here