Local Authority round-up: 15/03/24
14th March, 2024
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.
Commercial
Government launches new campaign to increase investment in scale-ups
The Government has announced the ‘Science and Tech is our Superpower’ campaign which aims to ensure that science and technology firms can access greater funding to boost long term economic growth and create jobs.
The campaign will run on billboards strategically placed within investor offices and on key commuter routes. Wrapped copies of The Times will also be delivered to venture capital offices, and digital adverts will run online and across podcasts. This increased marketing aims to raise the profile of British companies to investors, to secure venture capital funding, and ensure growth and innovation.
For more information please click here.
Planning and Housing
RSH introduces new standards for social housing to protect tenants
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has recently introduced new standards for social housing landlords, which are designed to protect tenants and improve the quality of homes in England.
The changes, which follow the introduction of Social Housing Regulation Act, come into effect from 1 April 2024. They will apply to all social landlords, including councils and housing associations.
Social landlords will be obligated to ensure that tenants are safe in their homes, listen and respond promptly to complaints and take an active interest in the condition of every home. Social landlords are also expect to collect data in relation to the number of repairs carried out, as well as tenant satisfaction rates.
To hold landlords to account, the RSH will inspect larger landlords regularly and scrutinise data in relation to the handling of complaints and completing repairs.
For more information please click here.
Regulatory
Government publishes draft legislation to ban disposable vapes
The Government has recently published a draft statutory instrument titled, The Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (England) Regulations 2024, which seeks to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes in England.
This draft legislation is in response to growing concerns over the environmental impact of disposable vapes, as well as their popularity amongst young people. Following a public consultation held in October 2023 on the matter, the Government found that there was wide support for tackling the use of disposable vapes, with 79.6% of respondents advocating for restrictions.
The ban is scheduled to come into effect on 1 April 2025 and both the Scottish and Welsh Governments are proposing similar legislation for implementation on the same date. It is expected that the Government will publish guidance for local authorities to enforce the new rules using fixed penalties and compliance notices.
For more information please click here.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Health and Wellbeing – Supporting those who are grieving in the workplace
On Tuesday 26th March, between 10am and 11.30am, we are hosting a Health and Wellbeing webinar in collaboration with Recovery4Life. During this session we will be joined by a panel of experts including (among others) John Devitt, CEO of Recovery4Life, and Andy Langford, Clinical Director for Cruse Bereavement Support, who will discuss the topic of grief, providing practical advice to assist employers in supporting employees who may be grieving.
To register your place, please click here.
Webinar: Immigration Update – Skilled Worker rule change
On Thursday 4th April, between 2pm and 3pm, our experts will be discussing the legislative changes to the immigration rules relating to Skilled Workers. In particular, the webinar will cover:
- The provisions relating to the new minimum salary of £38,700 p.a. for Skilled Workers;
- Whether there will be any exceptions to the new base salary rate;
- How Shortage Occupations will be affected and what the new Immigration Salary List will mean;
- Transitional arrangements for existing sponsored staff;
- How specific sectors might be affected such as technology, manufacturing, energy and care;
- Practical steps that businesses can take in light of the changes;
- Tips for managing potential problem areas, for example where existing employees are no longer eligible for sponsorship.
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.
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