Local Authority round-up 18/10/19

Brexit

Petition lodged to stop EU withdrawal agreement

Anti-Brexit campaigners have lodged a petition at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to stop the UK Government from passing its proposed EU withdrawal agreement on the grounds it contravenes legislation preventing Northern Ireland from forming part of a separate customs territory. The petition was lodged by Campaigner Jo Maugham QC on Thursday. The case is expected to be heard by Lord Pentland on Friday morning and may sit again later in the evening for an appeal as MPs are due to debate the agreement at a special Commons sitting on Saturday.

For more information please click here.

SNP call for 3 month Brexit extension

The SNP have tabled an amendment to Saturday’s motion in the Commons, rejecting the new Brexit deal and requesting a 3 month extension, until at least 31 January 2020, to Brexit to allow time to hold a general election. The party’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, said “We will have all 35 SNP MPs in Westminster and will certainly be voting against this deal. This is a disaster for Scotland. It weakens our economy, takes us out of the European Union, takes us out of the single market and the customs union.”

For more information please click here.

UK and EU agree Brexit deal

Boris Johnson has tweeted “We’ve got a great new deal that takes back control,” confirming that a Brexit deal has been agreed between the UK and the EU ahead of the EU summit. However, this still needs the approval of both the UK and European parliaments which may present a problem as The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) say that they cannot back the proposals. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said it was a “fair and balanced agreement” whilst Jeremy Corbyn has said that the deal “should be rejected” by MPs. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said that there are 4 main elements to the new deal which are that Northern Ireland will remain aligned to a limited set of EU rules, notably related to goods, that Northern Ireland will remain in the UK’s customs territory, but will “remain an entry point” into the EU’s single market, that there is an agreement to maintain the integrity of the single market and satisfy the UK’s legitimate wishes over VAT and that Northern Ireland representatives will be able to decide whether to continue applying union rules in Northern Ireland or not every four years. The decision to pass the deal through Parliament will require a simple majority.

For more information please click here.

Queens’s speech reveals Brexit legislation

The Queen’s speech took place on Monday in which she announced seven pieces of Brexit-related legislation, including measures to establish new regulatory frameworks for fishing, farming, trade and financial services, and a bill to end freedom of movement and bring in a points-based immigration system from 2021. The Government says if it can strike a deal with the EU, it will introduce a Withdrawal Agreement Bill to be voted on Saturday in a special parliamentary session and aim to secure its passage through Parliament before the 31 October deadline.

For more information please click here.

Industry warns Brexit plans could pose “serious risk to manufacturing competitiveness”

The aerospace, automotive, chemicals, food and drink and pharmaceutical sectors have sent a letter to the Government, namely Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay and the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, highlighting their concerns over the post Brexit trading arrangement plans Boris Johnson has put forward. Their key concern is that they may no longer participate in specific EU regulatory institutions after any Brexit deal and asks for “reassurance” that industry interests are still being prioritised by EU negotiators. The letter says that the serious risk to manufacturing “will result in huge new costs and disruption to UK firms. It would be disruptive to our complex international supply chains and has the potential to risk consumer and food safety, and confidence, access to overseas markets for UK exporters and vital future investment in innovation in this country.”

For more information please click here.

Commercial

Council invests in energy company

Warrington Borough Council has invested £18 million for a 50% shareholding in Scotland based energy company Together Energy. Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden said “Our investment will mean that we can genuinely tackle fuel poverty in the borough, provide employment opportunities and ensure we as a council continue to lead the charge against the climate emergency we all face.” The council agreed the investment it offers opportunities to young disadvantaged people and because of its belief in disrupting the energy sector.

For more information please click here.

Culture Secretary announced £250 million fund

A Culture Investment Fund has been announced which will provide £250 million of funding for innovative cultural projects, libraries, museums and creative industries which is aimed at driving local growth, supporting young people and reinforcing culture’s role at the heart of communities. Over the next 5 years, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will invest an additional £50 million each year in culture and the creative industries across England to revitalising existing assets and supporting new cultural development. Projects will include an additional £18.5 million for York’s National Railway Museum and a further £7 million for Coventry and the UK City of Culture programme.

For more information please click here.

Regulatory

Environment Bill would give councils new powers

In the Queen’s speech a new Environment Bill was promised which would create a new independent regulator, the Office for Environmental Protection, to oversee environmental policies and laws, investigate complaints and take enforcement action. Under the proposals councils will also be given additional powers to improve air quality by “addressing sources of air pollution – such as emissions from burning coal and wood.” Local powers would also be increased to tackle sources of air pollution and to “extend producer responsibility…to ensure a consistent approach to recycling and introduce deposit return schemes.”

For more information please click here.

Guidance to help cash-strapped councils deliver policies published

What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth has published guidance which advises policy makers on how to effectively use evidence and data in policy making and cautions local authorities that have been hit hard by austerity against using untested programmes in disadvantaged areas. It recommends that councils dealing with limited budgets should define and measure success, draw on evidence, tailor policies and share learnings. Professor Henry Overman, director of the What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth, said “Ten years of falling local government budgets have made it even more important for policy makers to target their service delivery. To help with this we have been working with Grimsby and Wakefield Councils for the past year to develop advice for local authorities about how to make the best use of evidence and data available to deliver economic and social improvements.”

For more information please click here.

Planning and housing

LGA concerns over council spending on B&Bs for the homeless

The Local Government Association (LGA) has expressed concerns over councils’ £10.6 million spending increase since 2009/10 on B&Bs for homeless people due to the lack of social housing. Currently there are 7,040 households in B&B accommodation, an increase of 2,450 in ten years which resulted in a spend of £93.3 million on B&B accommodation in 2017/18. Councils built 2,550 homes in 2018/19 but were only able to replace a quarter of homes sold under Right to Buy (RTB) scheme. The LGA is now calling on the Government to give councils the powers build more affordable housing, replace homes being sold under RTB and long-term funding to reduce homelessness and prevent it happening in the first place. They have called for the reform of the RTB so that councils can retain 100% of receipts to reinvest in replacement homes and infrastructure and set discounts locally.

For more information please click here.

Homelessness costs London councils millions

New research carried out by LSE London on behalf of London Councils has revealed that councils in London are spending an estimated £200 million each year due to the homelessness crisis and inadequate funding. In 2017/18 London councils spent over £919 million on homelessness services, £201 million was not covered by central government grants or council’s housing income so the money came from general funds. Cllr Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ executive member for housing & planning, said “While we welcome the recent increase in homelessness funding set out in the Government’s spending round, it does not come close to reflecting the true cost of addressing homelessness. The Government must make sure London’s hard-pressed homelessness services have the resources they need.”

For more information please click here.

New national model for shared ownership announced

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has announced a new national model for shared ownership to help thousands of lower earners get onto the housing ladder by giving thousands of social tenants an opportunity to purchase a stake in their home. For tenants in new housing association properties, there will be an automatic right to buy a share of their home from as little as 10%, with the ability to increase that share over time, up to full ownership and for people in existing housing association homes the Government and the housing associations will work together to see what offers can be made. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said “These measures announced today will mean more people, including residents living in new housing association homes, are given the opportunity to get on to the housing ladder.”

For more information please click here.

Upcoming seminars

As you may well know we run a programme of seminars on a wide range of topics. Listed below are those seminars coming up which we feel may be of interest to you. Please click on the links for further information and to book your place. You can see our full programme of upcoming events by clicking here.

HR and employment law update

Hear from Ward Hadaway’s employment specialists who will ensure that you are kept up-to-date with the latest developments in employment law.

Thursday 28th November (Middlesbrough)

Annual procurement law update 2019

These seminars are designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to hear first-hand from our leading procurement experts who will share their thoughts on the most topical issues of the moment.

Thursday 28th November (PM) (Newcastle)

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