News & Events

Listed below are the national news items and national events.

SRA delay Solicitors Qualifying Exam after negative responses to consultation
Publish date: 02/06/2016
The SRA have delayed the SQE implementation following 100 wholly negative responses to their consultation.
Mo Defence Scheme - Weightmans Press Release
Publish date: 09/05/2016
Weightmans go to press following launch of LLG's Member Defence Scheme
LLG Launch Monitoring Officer Defence Scheme
Publish date: 26/04/2016
LLG are delighted to announce the launch of a Monitoring Officer Defence Scheme in partnership with Weightmans Solicitors. The new full member benefit will apply to Monitoring Officers or their Deputies when acting in that capacity and is designed to provide advice and assistance with issues relating to the statutory role. The offer includes a telephone advice line, a conference facility and preferential terms in tribunal proceedings. For full terms and conditions go the LLG Membership in the documents library and click on Monitoring Officer Defence Scheme Terms and Conditions.
LLG feed into SOLACE Guidance on the EU Referendum
Publish date: 14/04/2016
The detailed paper including questions and answers provides guidance on the statutory rules regulating publicity produced at any time by the council or by other persons with the council’s assistance; the tighter rules on council publicity produced by the council in the run up to polling day for the EU referendum; and the areas of the council’s operations which are affected by the referendum process.
LLG Competency Framework Documents now available
Publish date: 11/04/2016
The LLG Competency Framework which includes the SRA obligations is now available within the Document Library. Just click on 'documents' in the top tab from the home page and in categories marked 'filter by category' click on Learning and Development. All documents are available including the Statement of Legal Knowledge and Templates to record your learning and development including examples to start you off. The Presentation on the Competency Framework will be available on Local Government Law TV later this week and will include all detailed slides.
Leading Counsel Advice on the Professional and Legal Ability of Authorities
Publish date: 29/02/2016
SRA Qualifies Further Rule 4 Interpretation
Publish date: 20/01/2016
Crispin Passmore highlights examples for Rule 4 interpretation at the LLG London Branch Meeting
Fancy some free on-line training?
Publish date: 07/01/2016
LLG are about to launch a free trial period of on line training for LLG members. This is coming really soon so watch this space for more details about launch dates, programme menus and terms and conditions. More information will be posted next week.
Photographs from the Awards Night 2015
Publish date: 05/01/2016
Glam shots from the night. See how many people you recognise!
NEWS - Care and Support Reform Bulletin May 2015
Publish date: 02/06/2015

Blog

22 January 2021

Publish date: 22/01/2021

On the 6^th May 2021, the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) 2020 regulations come to an end.

LLG & ADSO, together with numerous stakeholders, want to see continuing provision for local authorities to conduct meetings virtually. We do not want a situation where meetings from the 7^th May 2021 onwards to have to take place in person. We consider and indeed, the government has indicated, that we will not have returned to a pre-pandemic stage and are likely to remain under tiers for some time yet. But quite aside from the covid compliant difficulties in returning to in person meetings, a real focus here should be on the effective local democratic process, decision making and engagement advantages from the ability to hold virtual meetings. Statistics bear out that public participation in meetings have increased remarkably. There is also the long-term effect to consider; the real probability that the flexibilities afforded will attract a more diverse range of public demographic to stand as councillors. Any provision which enables equality of access, increased democratic participation and effective decision making must be retained.

Recently, the Secretary of State (Robert Jenrick) has said that whilst accepting that the provision has been successful, he has no plans to extend the date as it requires primary legislation and there is no vehicle to do that in time for May. He added that whilst it is not possible at the moment, if there is an opportunity to make it more permanent, he will take it.

LLG & ADSO have recently instructed counsel to examine this issue. We know of at least one local authority which has already received counsel's opinion, and which identifies two regulations which would give the Secretary of State powers to implement virtual meeting provisions. These are s16 Local Government Act 1999 and s15 Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016. The advice also included a view that the Executive or Cabinet will still be able to meet remotely (if permitted under their constitution) as Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 does not apply to the executive and there is no law which requires presence or place.

We will of course disseminate our advice to members when received next week and continue to lobby the government. In the meanwhile, if you have any members you could approach about this issue to generate support direct to Ministers this would be useful. The more noise we can make to bring collective pressure the better.

Best wishes

Helen McGrath

Helen@llg.org.uk