Local authority round-up 6 February 2026
6th February, 2026
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.
Education
450,000 disadvantaged pupils could benefit from AI tutoring tool
Up to 450,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds could benefit from safe AI powered tutoring tools providing personalised, one-to-one learning support, levelling the playing field for those who cannot afford private tutors.
The schemes comes as an effort to break down barriers to social opportunity so every child, regardless of their background, can achieve. Currently just one in four disadvantaged children achieve a pass in English and maths at GCSE grade 5 or above, compared to over half their peers.
Evidence shows that one-to-one tutoring can accelerate a pupil’s learning by around five months, but access to tutoring is expensive, meaning children from wealthier families are more likely to benefit and achieve higher grades. To counteract this, the government are running a tender for industry to co-create AI tutoring tools with teachers, with the goal of bringing these tools to a similar level of quality so personalised one to one support can be given.
The tool will adapt to individual pupils’ needs and it could provide extra help when a pupil gets stuck and identify where they need to practice in order to improve in their lessons. From Summer term this year, there will be teacher led co-creation of AI tutoring tools with the industry. The tools will then be available to schools by the end of 2027. From years 9-11 alone, this means the tools could support up to 450,000 children a year on free school means to access one-to-one tutoring.
For more information, please click here.
Health & social care
Every cancer patient to get individual cancer support plan
Under the government’s National Cancer Plan, every cancer patient is set to receive a tailored support plan covering treatment, mental health and employment support.
The care plan will take the form of a Personalised Cancer Plan that looks beyond just treatment and diagnosis to cover the full impact of cancer on a patient’s life, for example, from anxiety, fatigue and diet to returning to work. Patients will also receive an end-of-treatment summary to bridge the gap between when chemotherapy or surgery finishes, giving patients clear guidance on warning signs, who to call with concerns and where to find ongoing support like physiotherapy, counselling or local cancer groups.
Even after successful treatment, some patients find themselves unable to return to the lives they had before diagnosis. The Personalised Cancer Plan ensures patients receive the mental health support they need to rebuild their lives.
For more information, please click here.
Housing
Thousands more families to get warm and secure social housing as government unveils new social and affordable housing package today.
Under the biggest boost to grant funding in a generation, thousands of more families will have access to quality social and affordable housing, along with energy-saving standards to cut the cost of living for millions of social tenants.
The Housing Secretary has unveiled new measures that will give councils, housing associations and other providers greater financial support to ramp up construction of new homes. This will deliver on government plans to decrease the high number of families and children stuck in temporary accommodation or on housing waiting lists.
Landlords will also have to meet new standards to provide homes that are free of disrepair and damp, as well as warm and energy efficient homes through a new Decent Homes Standard (DHS), updating decency standards for the first time in 20 years. This is on top of new requirements to upgrade properties under new Minimum Energy Efficiency standards that could save social tenants hundreds of pounds with their energy bills.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming events
Employment Rights Act 2025 – What you need to know
The Employment Rights Act 2025 represents the biggest change to employment law in a decade, introducing a number of changes over the coming months and years.
This free webinar is designed to provide clear, practical guidance on what those changes mean in real terms – and how to approach them in a proportionate and manageable way.
Register here to join Laura Darnley, James English and Katie Adams as they take you through the A-Z of the reforms – from agency workers to zero hours contracts, and everything in between.
Procurement and public law update
Our in-person Procurement and Public Law Update covers the new procurement rules and their increased transparency requirements.
This seminar will look at what those changes have meant in practice since both the new Act and the new NHS regime came into force. We will give practical tips on how to manage procurements now and how to deal with the risks of challenge when the timescales are so tight.
Register here to join this free session with procurement law experts Tim Care and Matthew Brady.
International Women’s Day
You and your colleagues are invited to join us for our 9th International Women’s Day celebration (formally an Endeavour Partnership event), exploring this year’s theme of Give to Gain.
Our approach to the theme focuses on the importance of investment by organisations and individuals, and the lasting impact it can have. Through our sub-theme, Empowering Women, Strengthening Business, we will look at how access to education, development and alternative routes into careers enables women to build confidence, capability and opportunity at every stage.
The event will centre around a panel discussion, bringing together senior leaders and industry experts to share practical insight and lived experience. Together we will explore what meaningful investment looks like in practice, from professional development and skills-building to inclusive leadership, non-traditional career pathways and personal growth.
The afternoon will begin with arrival drinks and informal networking. Guests will then enjoy Wynyard Hall’s afternoon tea before the panel discussion, which will be followed by an interactive Q&A session, offering the opportunity to engage directly with our speakers and continue the conversation.
You can secure your tickets here.
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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