Democracy Direct 9 March 2020 CORONAVIRUS ALERT: GOVERNMENT INFORMATION Policy paper; Coronavirus action plan: (3 March): What the health and social care system across the UK has done to tackle the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and what it plans to do next. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan and the LGA response… https://www.local.gov.uk/lga-responds-coronavirus-action-plan INFORMATION FROM LGA The LGA is liaising with Public Health England (PHE), the Department for Health and Social Care and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regarding the evolving situation with the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Local authority Directors of Public Health are in close contact with PHE. https://www.local.gov.uk/coronavirus-information-councils MAY ELECTIONS ALERT The Guardian: Local elections could be delayed by coronavirus outbreak: (2 March): Government lawyers are assessing the possibility of delaying the local authority, mayoral and police and crime commissioner elections in May if the coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/01/local-elections-could-be-delayed-by- coronavirus-outbreak?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other BREXIT FOCUS Parliament: The UK-EU future relationship negotiations: process and issues - Commons Library briefing: (2 March): https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8834 Why is state aid such a key matter in UK–EU negotiations? - News from Parliament: (28 February): https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu- internal-market-subcommittee/news-parliament-2019/level-playing-field-evidence- session-2/ Possible impact of Brexit on criminal justice cooperation raises concerns - News from Parliament - UK Parliament; (27 February): https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/eu-justice- subcommittee/news-parliament-2019/joint-meeting-criminal-justice-coop/ Democracy Direct 9 March 2020 Government: Terms of reference on the UK-EU future relationship negotiations: (28 February): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/terms-of-reference-on-the-uk-eu-future- relationship-negotiations Statement on the future relationship with the EU - News from Parliament: (27 February): https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2020/february/statement-on-future- relationship-with-the-eu/ Commentary: TLS: Podcast: Brexit: Where are we now? (4 March): https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/communities/the-city/articles/brexit-where-are-we-now/ The Guardian: UK says it will consider walking away from Brexit talks in June: (27 February): https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/feb/27/uk-says-it-will-consider-walking- away-from-brexit-talks-in-june MINISTRY OF HOUSING COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Press release; Housing Secretary clamps down on shoddy housebuilders; (24 February): Homebuyers who are faced with shoddy building work in their new homes will be protected by a new, independent Ombudsman. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/housing-secretary-clamps-down-on-shoddy- housebuilders DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY Press release: Millions more homes to be powered by renewables; (3 March): Measures to promote new renewable electricity generation projects launched in boost for renewables supply chain. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/millions-more-homes-to-be-powered-by- renewables News story: Government campaign to ensure workers are paid correctly for holiday leave; (2 March): New campaign to remind workers of their right to paid holiday leave and ensure employers check their staff are taking their leave. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-campaign-to-ensure-workers-are- paid-correctly-for-holiday-leave Democracy Direct 9 March 2020 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Statutory guidance; Care Act 2014: supporting implementation; (2 March): Support for local authorities to carry out the implementation for part 1 of the Care Act 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance HMRC Guidance; Understanding off-payroll working (IR35); (27 February): Off-payroll working rules for clients, workers (contractors) and their intermediaries. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-off-payroll-working-ir35 HM LAND REGISTRY Guidance; First registrations (PG1): (2 March): Guidance for conveyancers on how to register unregistered estates in land for the first time (practice guide 1). https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/first-registrations PLANNING INSPECTORATE Selected Planning Appeals: w/e 28 February: Home allowed in light of council’s second worst HDT results. An inspector has applied the 'presumption in favour of sustainable development' in approving a new home on vacant land on a Romford housing estate, citing Havering Borough Council's poor results in the 2019 housing delivery test (HDT). https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3238738&CoID=0 Renewable energy production amounts to ‘very special circumstances. An inspector has approved plans for 67 solar panels in the Hertfordshire green belt, ruling that the scheme’s ‘valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions’ amounted to very special circumstances. https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3225810&CoID=0 Improved brownfield scheme rejected for a second time. A plan to redevelop a brownfield site in south London to provide nine homes that was dismissed at appeal in 2019 has been rejected again, after an inspector ruled that the altered scheme still did not overcome the council's concerns. https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3238124&CoID=0 18-storey tower held back by affordable housing agreement. An inspector has cited an incomplete 'bespoke agreement' for variable affordable Democracy Direct 9 March 2020 housing in refusing plans for an 18-storey tower comprising 151 flats in Leeds, after overturning four of the council's five reasons for refusal. https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3237128&CoID=0 Pubs in other villages justify residential conversion. An inspector has approved the conversion of a listed pub in Yorkshire into a home despite dissent from local people, citing the fact that a darts team that had competed at the pub had been able to transfer to another pub six miles away. https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3223570&CoID=0 EQUALITIES & HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION News from the EHRC: Restraint in schools | Legal action to uphold human rights | Domestic Abuse Bill: (28 February). http://communication.equalityhumanrights.com/interface/external_view_email.php?AY8 377135518233291933341532328 GAMBLING COMMISSION February Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/gamblingcommission/licensing-authority-annual-returns-deadline-12- may-321660?e=87274ce63f ELECTORAL COMMISSION Record year and quarter for political party donations and loans in Great Britain: (27 February): https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media-centre/record-year-and-quarter-political- party-donations-and-loans-great-britain THE LAW SOCIETY Westminster weekly update: Criminal legal aid review first stage announced: (2 March): https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/news/blog/criminal-legal-aid-review-first-stage- announced/ Professional Update: (28 February): https://emailcc.com/rv/ff005aea19c65c1d364adf5b184b88577f7d9780?utm_source=pro fessional_update&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=PU-02%2f28%2f2020 'Not something to get hysterical about': LCJ on constitutional reform: (28 February): https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/not-something-to-get-hysterical-about-lcj-on- constitutional-reform/5103274.article Democracy Direct 9 March 2020 ROYAL TOWN PLANNING INSTITUTE Who loves a planning committee? (28 February): The Planning Committee (Committee hereafter) forms an essential part of the decision- making process in planning, with local councillors discussing and voting on planning applications and local plans on the advice of professional planning officers. They can also be controversial with Policy Exchange Report (Airey and Doughty, 2020), suggesting that planning moves towards a ‘zoning’ system with politicians removed from the process of actually determining planning applications. However, it has been through attending Committee in Worcester for the past few months, while also writing up my PhD Chapters on Power, Politics and Governance in Planning, that I have really considered whether Committees are the best way to make decisions. https://www.rtpi.org.uk/briefing-room/rtpi-blog/who-loves-a-planning-committee/ NAO Gambling regulation: problem gambling and protecting vulnerable people: (28 February): https://www.nao.org.uk/report/gambling-regulation-problem-gambling-and-protecting- the- vulnerable/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery &utm_term= LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL CARE OMBUDSMAN Care provider bulletin edition 10: (4 March): https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKLGO/bulletins/27e24cd Council fails to carry out financial assessment following Ombudsman investigation: (4 March): North Yorkshire County Council has failed to carry out a financial assessment it had agreed to undertake following an earlier upheld complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman; https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKLGO/bulletins/27f1a2a Village cricketers forced to move because of planning error; A village cricket club has been forced to find a new venue after planners at Shropshire Council failed to put in place measures to prevent balls hitting