Local Authority round-up 16 October 2026
16th October, 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 & Social Care
Brain cancer patients to see faster developments of new treatments
People living with brain cancer will get a faster route from research to treatment under a new four-step plan.
The four-step plan:
- Leading experts will assess what has changed for patients since a 2018 government review and what is still holding the process back.
- A national action plan will follow. The review’s findings will shape a plan to get new treatments out of the lab and to patients faster.
- A new national brain cancer clinical lead to drive this work forward, appointed by the Department of Health and Social Care.
- The Prime Minister has asked the MHRA to complete its review of the rules for medicines that treat rare conditions, known as orphan drugs, in two years rather than three. Bringing forward these changes could help patients get treatments sooner.
In conjunction with this, patients, families and charities will help design a drive to get more people into clinical trials.
For more information, please click here.
Government joins forces with Breast Cancer Now
Women across the country are set to receive better support to spot signs of breast cancer and know where to turn for help as government announces its first partnership to help deliver its Renewed Women’s Health Strategy.
The Department of Health and Social Care will partner with Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, over the next 3 years, giving women practical information to build confidence with checks, recognising changes and seeking advice sooner.
Women will also be provided with better support after their treatment, including clear information to understand the signs of breast cancer returning or spreading and how to live a healthy life post treatment.
For more information, please click here.
Housing & Planning
Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families
More families living in poor conditions will be protected by stricter laws that legally require their landlords to fix dangerous issues like severe damp and mould to faster deadlines.
Landlords must already act on hazards if they are found to be significant and seriously threatening to tenants’ health and safety.
To speed up these repairs, the government introduced Awaab’s Law to social housing last year, setting legal deadlines to fix dangerous damp and mould. Now a government consultation is looking into how this can be introduced to private renters and what types of other accommodation should benefit in the future, such as:
- Temporary accommodation for homeless people and families.
- Accommodation for young people leaving care.
- Supported housing where many elderly, disabled and other vulnerable people live.
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.
This page may contain links that direct you to third party websites. We have no control over and are not responsible for the content, use by you or availability of those third party websites, for any products or services you buy through those sites or for the treatment of any personal information you provide to the third party.
Follow us on LinkedIn
Keep up to date with all the latest updates and insights from our expert team
