Local Authority round-up 1 May 2026
1st May, 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
Primary school pupil numbers fall nationally, creating financial risk for some schools
Even though primary school pupil numbers have been falling since 2018/19, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that the government has provided the sector with ‘limited support’ in managing the risk to educational performance and value for money caused by a drop in pupil demand.
The report highlighted that between 2018/19 and 2024/25, the demand for primary school places fell by 3%, with a further fall of 7% forecast by 2030. Unfilled school places rose from 10% to 14% in the same period.
Most school funding is based on pupil numbers with the NAO warning this creates financial risk for some schools and could impact educational quality, particularly for certain groups such as disadvantaged pupils. The NAO report estimated that with the projected reduction of 56,300 fewer primary school places in 2027, this could mean that schools receive £288 million less in per-pupil funding.
To help schools respond, the NAO recommended the government build on Estates Strategy, to help the sector identify the places that may not be needed and how it can be resilient to future changes. It also recommended collaborative working across the government and encouraging local collaboration, to support the sector to make best use of spare space.
For more information, please click here.
Health and Social Care
Patients in the UK to get access to new treatments faster and still safely under new clinical trial regulations coming into force 28 April 2026
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Health Research Authority (HRA) are introducing the largest package of reforms in over 20 years. This will include faster assessment first in human trials and the introduction of notifiable trials, a fast track route to allow lower-risk trials to start sooner and modifications to be approved quicker, whilst maintaining the highest safety standards.
The reforms will make it simpler to start lower-risk studies, strengthen support for early-stage research and embrace new approaches, including use of early safety data from overseas which meets UK standards and computer model simulations to help predict how new medicines may behave before they are tested in patients.
The regulators have already made progress delivering more streamlined and efficient approvals, which has contributed to exceeding the government’s ambitious target to reduce clinical trial set-up times to 150 days as part of its 10-year plan for the NHS. The latest figures show MHRA and HRA’s contribution in reducing set up times from 169 days to 122 days for studies going through combined safety and ethical review. The combined review process conducted by MHRA and HRA takes an average of 41 days, less than half the time it look a few years ago.
For more information, please click here.
Boost for thousands of aspiring health professionals from deprived areas
Thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds will benefit from a comprehensive package to break down barriers into healthcare careers, as part of the government’s 10 year Health Plan.
Careers in the medical profession, in particular doctors and health care specialists are sometimes out of reach for many because schools and families often lack the knowledge needed to guide students towards medicine, or to encourage biology, chemistry and physics early enough, which are essential for studying medicine.
To tackle the barrier into medicine, 2,000 young people from England’s most deprived areas will be supported early to apply to university through government-funded medicine access courses over the next three years. Additionally, backed by £65.4 million, the government has unlocked 2,000 additional nursing apprenticeships, concentrated in areas facing the greatest training shortages and highest levels of deprivation. These earn-while-you-learn opportunities will help people build skilled, well-paid careers without needing to leave their communities or take on upfront costs.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming events
Subsidy control and housing projects
Join us on Tuesday 5 May between 2pm-2.45pm for a webinar focussing on subsidy control and housing projects.
In this webinar, Alexander Rose will set out how public authorities and businesses seeking public funding for house building projects can manage subsidy control effectively and with the minimum of fuss.
This webinar will provide an essential overview on:
- New funding streams which are being made available to support housing
- The Homes England Social and Affordable Housing Programme Subsidy Scheme
- How the Community and Regeneration Streamlined Route can be used
- How the Housing Streamlined Route can be used
- How to tackle common pinch points in housing and commercial development projects
Register for the webinar here.
Procurement and Public Law Update
Join us for our next in-person Procurement and Public Law Update, taking place on Thursday 14 May between 9am-11.30am at our Manchester office.
A significant challenge everyone in the public sector is facing is implementing the new procurement rules with their increased transparency requirements.
Tim Care and Matthew Brady will look at what those changes have meant in practice since the introduction of the new Act and the new NHS regime, while Sam Burgess will provide an overview of what Judicial Review is and what organisations need to be mindful of. We will also give practical tips on how to manage procurements now and how to deal with the risks of challenge when the timescales are so tight.
You can register for the event 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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