Democracy direct 5 February 2018 CABINET OFFICE Oliver Dowden MP, Minister for Implementation speaks about Capita The Minister for Implementation comments on the stock market update issued by Capita plc yesterday (1 February): https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/oliver-dowden-mp-minister-for-imple- mentation-speaks-about-capita MINISTRY OF HOUSING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Guidance Planning guidance: letters to chief planning officers Guidance on various aspects of the planning system, given in letters to chief planning officers of local planning authorities: a useful collection for colleagues advising planning committees (31 January): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/planning-guidance-letters-to-chief-planning-officers HOME OFFICE Premises licence forms Guidance and forms (incl for licensing authorities) for applying for a premises licence to sell alcohol, late night hot food and drink or provide public entertainment (31 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/premises-licence-application-forms DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS Update: Carillion declares insolvency: information for employees, creditors and suppliers Information about continuity of public services for employees and suppliers (26 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/carillion-declares-insolvency-information-for- employees-creditors-and-suppliers DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION A direction issued by DfE to Somerset County Council due to its inadequate perfor- mance in children's social care services: Update 29 January: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direction-issued-to-somerset-county-coun- cil A direction issued by DfE to Cumbria County Council due to poor performance in chil- dren's social care services: Update 29 January: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direction-issued-to-cumbria-county-council DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Guidance: Social care charging for local authorities: 2018 to 2019 Local authority circular on charging for care and support (30 January): Here’s the link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities- 2018-to-2019 HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE Weekly Digest: Here is a selection of stories that have been making health and safety news over the past seven days...: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHSE/bulletins/1d5c146 HM LAND REGISTRY Guidance Registering local authority land and property with HM Land Registry How local authorities can identify and register their unregistered land and property: (26 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/registering-local-authority-land-and-prop- erty-with-hm-land-registry PLANNING INSPECTORATE Guidance: Planning appeals: procedural guide: The responsibilities of each party and the roles they have in the planning appeal pro- cess: Updated 31 January: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-appeals-procedural-guide Selected Appeals Highlighted in the Planning Media: Wind turbine could increase pink-footed goose mortality rate: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3177749&CoID=0 Islington Council calls for lower affordable housing threshold: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3181523&CoID=0 113-unit retirement community approved with no affordable housing: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3177340&CoID=0 480-home urban extension will not harm Grantham’s heritage assets: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3173367&CoID=0 Appellant must pay full costs for four unreasonable appeals: https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3168031&CoID=0 INFORMATION COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE Information Commissioner launches ICO Practitioner Award for Excellence in Data Pro- tection The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is marking Data Protection Day by launching an award to recognise excellence in the field of information rights(26 Janu- ary): more on this here: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/news-and-events/news-and-blogs/2018/01/information- commissioner-launches-ico-practitioner-award-for-excellence-in-data-protection/ LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CARE OMBUDSMAN Latest Newsletter: https://www.lgo.org.uk/information-centre/news THE INSOLVENCY SERVICE: Update on Carillion The Official Receiver provides clarification on the current consultation underway with employees of the Carillion group (27 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/update-on-carillion-contracts COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE Local government ethical standards: Committee calls for evidence: The Committee on Standards in Public Life launched a call for evidence as part of its review into local government ethical standards (29 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/local-government-ethical-standards-committee- calls-for-evidence See also: ‘Selected Open Consultations’ below ‘NEW’ CROWN COMMERCIAL SERVICE The SME spend target ‘must go on’: ‘In a month filled with news of Carillion, there have been calls for public services to be nationalised and taken from the hand of the private sector’……. (29 January): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-sme-spend-target-must-go-on THE LAW SOCIETY In House Magazine:’ Inside Out’ e-magazine: (31 January): http://emailcc.com/rv/ff00378c7c270a46f13a43509c4a88a3016109d0?utm_source=Co ncep%20Send&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Inhouse_newsletter_01/31/2018 ‘Our priorities for the justice system….’ (30 January): Last week the Law Society issued proceedings against the Ministry of Justice to challenge a decision to implement further cuts to legal aid: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/blog/our-priorities-for-the-justice-system-the-new- lord-chancellor/ Law Society and Brexit (30 January): ‘Decades spent building the UK’s unrivalled professional services sector must not be thrown away in an EU deal which ignores Britain’s valuable legal services,’ the Law Society of England and Wales warned: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/press-releases/dont-let-brexit-jeopardise-uks- valuable-services-sector/ Law Society intervenes in Supreme Court case to protect members' rights to litigation costs: The Law Society has been granted permission to intervene in the Supreme Court case of Haven Insurance Company Limited v Gavin Edmondson Solicitors Limited (26 January): http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/stories/law-society-intervenes-in-supreme-court- case-to-protect-members-rights-to-litigation-costs/ CIPFA CIH: With 150k social homes lost government must invest in housing The government should take an “urgent look” at increasing funding to affordable hous- ing as more than 150,000 homes for social rent have been lost in five years, the Char- tered Institute of Housing has said: (31 January): http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/01/cih-150k-social-homes-lost-government- must-invest-housing?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term= Public sector ‘must be given power to innovate’ The public sector must be “empowered to innovate”, the new Cabinet Office minister Oliver Dowden said this week: (31 January): http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/01/public-sector-must-be-given-power-inno- vate?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term= Rotherham Council has “transformed” its children’s services since a report highlighted a series of child protection failings, an Ofsted inspection has said (29 January): The watchdog has ranked the South Yorkshire town’s children’s services ‘good’ af- ter an inspection in November last year, it was announced today: http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/01/rotherham-council-has-transformed-chil- drens-services?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term= LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION LGA responds to BMJ report on Homelessness The response is here: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/22.7%20HEALTH%20AND%20HOMELESSN ESS_v08_WEB_0.PDF Briefing: EU (Withdrawal) Bill, Second Reading, House of Lords, 30 & 31 January 2018: Here’s the detailed Briefing: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docu- ments/2018%2001%2030%20EU%20%28Withdrawal%29%20Bill%20-%20HL%20- %20Second%20Reading%20Web.pdf Items from the Daily Bulletins: 1 February: Back national database of taxi drivers, councils urge MPs The LGA has called on MPs to back a Private Members Bill on Friday, which would introduce a legal regis- ter of taxi drivers who have been banned or refused a licence. Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “We’ve seen numerous cases where drivers have abused the trust of passengers, and we’ve even seen children becoming victims of sexual exploitation. We’ve really got to get a grip of this, but we need new primary legislation to do that.” Sky News Radio, Talk Radio Capita shares plunge amid fears over ‘new Carillion’ More than £1 billion was wiped off the stock market value of Capita, following a profit warning that sparked fears that the firm could go bust. The Government said Capita was not in a similar position to Carillion, the infrastructure firm which went bust earlier this month, but it is monitoring the situation. BBC Online, Guardian p1, Sun p2, FT p1, Mirror p6, i paper p8 31 January: House developers face losing right to build Housing developers could lose planning permission on unused land if they fail to meet construction targets under moves to kickstart housebuilding. In an interview with the Times, Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said Britain’s biggest developers, nimbys and landowners can expect a “muscular” approach to drive up