Local Authority round-up – 04 July 2025
4th July, 2025
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
Government launches pilot backed by £1.7 million to support children with SEND
The Government is launching a pilot programme to trial assistive technology in schools. Following a £1.7 million investment, ‘lending libraries’ will lend tools like reading pens that scan and vocalise text, dictation devices that convert speech to text, and communication tablets for non‑verbal pupils. The pilot aims to cover as many as 4,000 schools across 32 local authorities.
Schools can “try before they buy,” allowing them to assess each tool’s effectiveness before investing in them. Previous implementations have resulted in 86% of school employees reporting improved behaviour and increased confidence.
This initiative responds to a growing need as the number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has rose 11% to 638,700. By offering technology that supports dyslexia, autism and ADHD the Government aims to enhance independence, inclusion, and learning in mainstream classrooms.
The pilot is part of broader SEND reforms aimed at identifying needs early and embedding support in everyday school life.
For more information please click here.
Regulatory
Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act receives Royal Assent
On 19 June 2025, the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act received Royal Assent. The Act aims to ensure fairness in the courts by banning the automatic use of pre-sentence reports trigged solely by an offender’s race, gender or religion.
Pre-sentence reports support judges when making decisions on sentencing. The reports provide an assessment of the nature and causes of an offender’s behaviour, the risk they pose, as well as an independent recommendation of the sentencing options available to the court.
While courts will still be able to request pre-sentence reports where relevant, such requests cannot be mandated on the basis of personal characteristics like skin colour or faith.
It is hoped that the Act will ensure fairness in the justice system, allowing judges the freedom to decide what information they need for each case. It should also increase public trust that the law treats everyone equally.
For more information please click here.
Council system to receive major reform
The Government has launched a major overhaul of the local council funding system, aiming to replace the system with a new place-based model that allocates money according to current needs, costs, and deprivation levels. This includes simplifying more than 300 small grants into larger, multi-year funding pots, reducing administrative burdens, and bringing in the first multi-year settlement in a decade from the 2026–27 financial year. The reforms also propose updating funding formulas to recognize rural remoteness, homelessness pressures, and the costs of adult and children’s social care (including SEND).
An eight-week consultation, starting 20 June 2025, seeks local input before final decisions regarding the new model are implemented.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Public Sector Property Update
Join us in our Newcastle Office on Tuesday 8th July from 8am–10.30am for our Public Sector Property Update.
During the event our legal experts will update you on property, litigation, planning and construction law relevant to development of land by the Public Sector.
The content of the talk is designed specifically for surveyors, in-house lawyers and those involved in Public Sector estates management.
To register your place, please click here.
Right to Work – Legal Insights and Practical Guidance
Sabina Kauser and Jessica Hurwood, from Ward Hadaway’s expert Business Immigration Team, will be covering essential updates and practical advice for employers to ensure compliance with current immigration and employment laws. This includes:
- Types of right to work checks;
- Recent legal updates;
- Document retention and compliance;
- Avoiding discrimination; and
- Sector specific challenges.
The webinar is on the 8th July, 10am–11am
To register your place, please click here.
Employment Law Update
Please join us for our Employment Law Update, on Tuesday 15th July, 10am–11am.
With so much on the cusp of change in the world of employment law, this webinar will provide you with additional insights and information to help successfully navigate those changes.
This webinar is designed for HR managers and leaders who guide and assist their colleagues on dealing with these issues in the workplace.
To register your place, 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.
