Local Authority round-up 04/12/20

Brexit

Prospect of breakthrough in Brexit negotiations receding

After earlier confidence of a breakthrough being reached in negotiations between the UK and EU earlier this week, a senior government source has now said to the BBC that such prospects are receding, with the EU’s negotiators “bringing new elements into the negotiation” at the “eleventh hour”. Despite this, it was hoped that such a breakthrough may be “still possible in the next few days.” The UK and EU are trying to reach a deal before the end of the Brexit transition period which expires on 31 December, with key issues holding up talks including fishing rights and competition rules and the policing of these rules in the future. EU sources predict the “bulk of outstanding work” on a deal could be done by the end of the week, but that fine-tuning could take a few more days.

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New UK immigration system goes live

On 1 December the UK’s new post-Brexit immigration system went live, with free movement of people to and from the EU due to come to an end on 31 December. Applications have opened for a range of visa routes, with skilled worker visas being judged on a points system with skilled workers needing a job offer, the requisite proficiency in English, and to meet a salary threshold of typically at least £25,600 a year. EU citizens already resident in the UK have until 30 June 2021 to apply for settled status and instead do not have to go through this new system. The Government believes this will lead to greater investment by firms in training of British workers.

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Click here to watch our recent webinar about the new system.

Live animal exports to be banned in England and Wales post-Brexit

The Environment Secretary George Eustice has announced that a ban on the export of live animals for fattening and slaughter could be in place by the end of 2021. This is a break from the existing EU free trade rules which allow animals to be transported abroad for slaughter. It is estimated that only a few thousand animals are shipped from the UK to Europe for slaughter out of the millions of animals bred for meat each year. However, the UK Government has decided to introduce this ban as part of a push on implementing its own animal welfare issues, and is adamant it will not fall foul of wider global trade rules.

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Video: State aid and procurement

The transition period will maintain the status quo until 31 December 2020 – but after that we will be subject to an alternative regime. What restriction will there be on State subsidy?  What will happen to existing grants and other State measures? What aid will be permissible under any new system? Will the public sector still be bound by procurement rules?

In this video state aid and procurement specialists Dean Murray and Tim Care discuss the implications of Brexit in these areas.

Click here to view.

Commercial

Supermarkets to repay COVID business rates relief

Asda has announced it will repay £340m of business rates relief received during the pandemic, joining Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons who will be collectively returning a total of over £1.7bn in Government support. Following stronger than expected sales since the first lockdown, Asda were confident that the approval of a vaccine would add to the strength of their position and so despite its costs of dealing with COVID outweighing the amount of Government report received, they believed returning the relief was the right thing to do to support their communities. Asda’s president and chief executive, Roger Burnley said: “Almost half our customers are telling us they expect their financial position to worsen in the next 12 months and we recognise that there are other industries and businesses for whom the effects of Covid-19 will be much more long lasting and whose survival is essential to thousands of jobs.”

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Government relaxes quarantine restrictions for certain business travellers

The Government has this week announced a relaxation of quarantine restrictions which will apply to business travellers, including bosses of multinational firms visiting English branches and of firms planning to invest in the UK. It also includes those returning to the UK from business trips abroad. The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced that business executives will be allowed to arrive in England from countries not on the Government’s list of travel corridors without having to quarantine for 14 days provided the trip results in a deal which creates or preserves 50 jobs or leads to at least £100,000 of business. Performing arts workers, TV production staff, journalists and recently signed sports professionals will also be exempt, the Government said.

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Regulatory

First COVID Vaccine approved for use in UK

The Department of Health and Social Care announced on Wednesday that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) had recommended that the Government approve Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use following months of trials as part of an expedited regulatory process.  The vaccine is planned to be made available across the UK from next week, once a plan regarding the provision of the vaccine to certain vulnerable groups has been published.

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New regulations grant additional COVID enforcement powers to Councils

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Local Authority Enforcement Powers and Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 have been made and came into force on 2 December. The regulations create additional enforcement powers for local authorities to deal with COVID-19 in relation to business premises. The new powers include the ability to close premises of businesses which have failed to comply with council concerns or which are in contravention of COVID-secure measures. This allows councils to move more swiftly to take enforcement action as they no longer require the input of the Director of Public Health and notification to the Secretary of State.

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Planning and housing

Major infrastructure schemes to have ‘design champion’ at board level

It has been announced that design champions would be at the project, programme or organisational level and would be supported where appropriate by design panels. The move had been recommended by the National Infrastructure Commission, in keeping with the Government’s Project Speed programme to review and identify improvements across the infrastructure project life cycle and saving up to 50 per cent of time in the planned construction process. Sadie Morgan, who chairs the NIC’s design group, welcomed the move, saying “We’re particularly pleased to see Government back our recommendation for all major national infrastructure projects to have a board-level design champion supported by a design panel, to help ensure schemes are built sustainably to a high standard, looking beyond their core function to add value to communities and the natural environment.”

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LGA calls for further investment in homelessness prevention services

The Local Government Association has welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement of further funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the Spending Review, but called for further measures to be taken in the long-term. Responding to findings from homelessness charity Shelter, Cllr David Renard, Local Government Association housing spokesperson, said: “It was good the Government announced further funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the Spending Review. However, in the longer-term, it is also important that there is a shift towards investing in homelessness prevention services. With council housing waiting lists set to potentially nearly double as a result of COVID-19, we are calling for councils to be given powers to kickstart a post-pandemic building boom of 100,000 new social homes for rent each year, including reform of Right to Buy.”

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If you have any questions about the issues raised in this update, please do not hesitate to get in touch.