Local authority round-up 27 March 2026
27th March, 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.
Regulatory
Government response to legal challenge over proposed SEND reforms claims there is “no duty to consult in public law” on certain changes.
The claimant is seeking to challenge the lawfulness of the consultation ‘SEND reform: putting children and young people first’, in relation to changing the powers of the SEND Tribunal, and placing the duty to deliver the educational offer in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) on schools, rather than local authorities.
It was alleged that the Secretary of State had acted unlawfully because she had failed to ask questions about these matters in the consultation, and proposed the following three grounds:
- Unfairness/irrationality in the scope of the consultation.
- Breach of the Tameside duty of inquiry.
- Unfair/Unlawful consultation by failure to comply with the second Gunning principle (failure to give sufficient reasons for any proposal to permit intelligent consideration and response).
In response to the allegations, the Secretary of State for Education indicated that there is no duty to consult on certain elements of the proposed reforms, including changes to the powers of the SEND Tribunal and proposals to shift the legal duty to secure provision in EHCPs from local authorities to schools, in part as decisions on these issues have already been made.
For more information, please click here.
Health & Social care
MHRA action boosts drive to phase out animal testing
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) takes decisive action to phase out animal testing by helping developers to make greater use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs).
While each application will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the totality of the evidence presented and the proposed clinical use, the guidance sets out general regulatory principles:
- Generic/biosimilar products or drugs that are not pharmacologically active in animals should not be tested on animals.
- Toxicity testing of biological products on animals should only be done in species shown to be pharmacologically relevant.
- Products with a well-recognised pharmacological profile may enter UK clinical trials without having first been tested on animals.
- Products with a novel pharmacological action should be tested on animals, in line with international guidelines.
- Products that cannot be tested for efficacy in clinical trials, such as vaccines for some emerging pandemic infectious diseases, should be tested on animals.
For more information, please click here.
Education
New apprenticeship unit to supercharge battery manufacturing
New battery manufacturing apprenticeship unit developed, following rapid consultation with employers and sector experts, to support UK’s growing battery sector.
A new apprenticeship unit has been unveiled for battery manufacturing in the South West and beyond. This apprenticeship was developed by Skills England’s new investment and Infrastructure Skills Service, following consultation with global battery business Agratas, wider sector employees and other experts.
Agratas is currently building a major gigafactory near Bridgewater in Somerset, which they estimate will generate over £700 million in annual economic value to the South West and 4,000 jobs once fully operational.
Batteries are increasingly vital across the economy, powering everything from phones to national grid and defence. Having the skills to manufacture batteries in the UK directly supports our national resilience and provides access to jobs in a growing sector.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming events
The Exchange
We invite you to join us for the third session in The Exchange series, in collaboration with NRG. This will focus on one of the most pressing priorities facing organisations today: People and Culture.
In a climate shaped by economic pressure, global instability and rising social expectation, culture is no longer a supporting theme. It sits at the heart of organisational resilience, reputation and commercial performance.
We will be exploring:
- Why culture matters more than ever in the context of geopolitical uncertainty, economic challenge and workforce complexity
- The emerging and future trends shaping the next People and Culture agenda
- How to drive meaningful cultural change from the boardroom and evidence its commercial return
Register here to join us at our Newcastle office on 20 May from 9am-11.30am.
Shining Bright Conference
Hosted by Ward Hadaway in collaboration with Shine, Shining Bright is a new conference bringing together employers, leaders and changemakers from across the North East to explore what it takes to build thriving workplaces.
The programme will shine a light on how organisations can unlock the power of employee engagement, wellbeing and inclusive leadership to create stronger teams and more resilient businesses. Through keynote talks, panel discussions and real-life case studies, we’ll explore themes including wellbeing and diversity, profit and purpose, and modern people management.
Register here to join SMEs, HR professionals, business leaders and regional stakeholders for a day of insight, inspiration and connection focused on building workplaces that truly work for people and help the region thrive.
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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