- propriety in decision taking
- separation of regulatory functions (e.g. planning) from discretionary and other functions (e.g. landowning)
- the fiduciary duties of local authorities
- best value (including under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972)
- governance and executive arrangements
- the Code of Conduct
- standing orders (particularly on contracts)
- procurement (including EU procurement and competition law as applicable to local authorities)
- local government finance including prudential borrowing, audit and state aid
- trading and charging
- the well being powers and vires generally
- and elections and election expenses.
We have also acted for the Standards Board for England.
Work experience/case studies:
- Acting for three local authorities in the successful defence of compromise and judicial review proceedings brought to challenge land disposals, the grant of planning permission in the absence of an EIA and in relation to the decisions of school governing bodies.
- Advising a district council in respect of a district audit report where it was necessary for the council to be seen to provide an independent response to the District Auditor.
- Specifically defending a county council against judicial review proceedings in respect of a trading standards prosecution in a case decided by the Divisional Court which defined and limited the duties of trading standards officers in relation to informing suspects of the availability of legal aid.
