Local Authority round-up 3 July 2026
3rd July, 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.
Health and Social Care
Martha’s Rule extended to all maternity services
Mothers and newborns across the country will be better protected as Martha’s Rule is rolled out to all maternity settings in England, following a string of serious sustained failures in maternity wards.
Martha’s rule is an NHS patient safety initiative that gives patients and their families the right to request an urgent, independent review if they are concerned baby or mother’s condition is worsening and feel their concerns aren’t being listened to.
NHS data shows that there have already been over 2,100 calls to Martha’s Rule requiring changes in a patient’s treatment, with over 600 calls leading to potentially life-saving interventions.
The safety initiative is named after Martha Mills, who died in 2021 aged 13 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns were not listened to, and in 2022 a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care.
These measures are designed to tackle the culture of silence exposed by the Nottingham review, where over 800 staff gave evidence of being silenced by senior clinicians and hospital bosses when raising concerns around patient safety.
For more information, please click here.
Regulatory
Rough sleeping no longer a crime as Vagrancy Act repealed
On the 29th June 2026, the government repealed the Vagrancy Act, bringing an end to nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.
Repealing the Act is a vital step in ending a system that has failed to address the causes of rough sleeping and in shifting the focus towards prevention, support and long-term solutions.
This forms part of the National Plan to End Homelessness backed by £3.6 billion over the next three years which aims to halve long-term rough sleeping and the unlawful use of B&Bs for families by the end of the Parliament.
Alongside this, the government is delivering £39 billion over the next ten years to provide people with the homes they need. Recent figures show social and affordable housing stats are up to 35% since 2024 and completions have risen again this year.
For more information, please click here.
Education
Competition watchdog study into early years education and childcare services in England to explore role of councils
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market study into early years education and childcare services in England, which will explore the role of local authorities, mayoral combined authorities and other regulatory bodies.
This study sits alongside the UK government’s review of childcare provision in England. The CMA review will consider early years education and childcare from birth until children start school, including services provided by nurseries, childminders and in school-based settings.
The CMA study will comprise research into:
- Access to high-quality services – the availability of childcare places, how well the provision meets different needs and any barriers to entry and expansion for businesses.
- Affordability and funding – how prices, affordability for families and provider sustainability are shaped by underlying cost drivers for providers and government funding.
- Information and choice – whether families can access and use information to make effective decisions, and how market practices affect their choices.
- Impact of provider types – how different provider models and ownership structures affect choice and costs.
The CMA’s analysis will pay particular attention to the role of government policy and public bodies. Where appropriate, it said it will make recommendations.
For more information, please click 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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