Local Authority round-up 29 August 2025
29th August, 2025
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Regulatory
New sentencing powers to ban criminals from pubs and sporting events
The Government has introduced new sentencing powers which allow judges to restrict offenders from attending pubs, concerts, and sports events. These measures aim to strengthen community punishments and deter reoffending. Judges will have the authority to impose restrictions such as driving bans, travel limitations, and confinement to specific areas. Additionally, mandatory drug testing will be expanded to include all offenders under probation supervision, not just those with known substance misuse histories. Violations of these conditions could result in offenders being returned to custody, depending on their sentence.
The Government will also allocate an additional £700 million to the Probation Service by 2028/29 to ensure that offenders are appropriately monitored and that community sentences are effective in practice.
For more information please click here.
Housing
New Homes Accelerator has facilitated the construction of 100,000 new homes
The Government’s New Homes Accelerator initiative has reportedly facilitated the development of around 100,000 new homes across England. By providing targeted support, including additional planning capacity, the programme has expedited the delivery of 36,000 homes and advanced planning for another 63,000. The latest phase of the initiative introduces six new priority sites, including locations in Somerset, Guildford, Wigan, Aylesbury, and London, aiming to deliver over 12,000 homes with at least 25% designated as affordable housing.
The Government aims to supplement the programme with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as well as the investment of £39 billion into the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
For more information please click here.
Education
School attendance increases across England
England has achieved a significant improvement in school attendance, with students attending over 5 million more days of school this year compared to the previous one. Notably, 140,000 fewer pupils are now classified as persistently absent, including 45,000 from disadvantaged backgrounds. The dramatic improvement means teachers have saved over 10,000 days that would have been spent helping absent pupils catch up, freeing them to focus on delivering education to whole classes.
With a single day out of school costing an estimated £750 in lost earnings across the course of a career for a typical student, this year’s progress is projected to protect over £2bn in pupils’ future earnings and contribute to building the skilled workforce needed to drive economic growth.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Employment Rights Bill: The Future of Trade Union Rights
On 1st October at 10:00am, Edward Nuttman and Hollie Ball will provide a comprehensive overview of how the Employment Rights Bill is reshaping trade union relations in the UK workplace. It will provide practical insights into the evolving legal framework and its implications for HR professionals and business leaders.
Edward and Hollie will explore key changes in areas such as:
- The real purpose of the new Trade Union laws;
- The new duty to inform employees about their right to Trade Union membership;
- The new right for Trade Unions to access premises;
- The new right for Trade Union officials to facilities; and
- Trade Union recognition: simplification.
To register your place, please click here.
For further information please contact Tim Care in our Public Sector Team
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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