Local Authority Matters – July 2019

Boris is now in number 10, the weather is breaking all heat records and Brexit, the complete unknown, continues to hog Government airtime. You wouldn’t be mistaken in thinking the country is going into meltdown. However, it seems that’s not the case, and instead we are entering into a new political chapter where uncertainly is the new ‘normal’.

Now more than ever, even the most conservative of local authorities are able to step out of their comfort zone and innovate, to find solutions to the challenges they are facing in this market. You may be interested in hearing more about how we supported Hampshire County Council in a very innovative project doing just that in support services for social care: Read our press release here.

For this edition of Local Authority Matters, we look at how the new Electronic Communications Code is causing a big impact on local authority risk and income. We also delve into the use of exit payments in the public sector and what changes the government is making to the housing market.

As always, if you have any queries about anything you read here or anything you may hear about in the market, feel free to get in touch!

Authorities impacted by the new Electronic Communications Code

Since the new Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”) came into force on 28 December 2017, a number of cases have been heard by the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) (“the Tribunal”). The Code will directly impact Local Authorities which already have telecoms masts, dishes and other associated apparatus on their land or who control land such as high rise residential flats and brownfield or greenfield sites where telecoms masts could in future be sited.

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A review of the Government’s proposed changes to the leasehold housing market

This year the Manchester Housing Conference saw the Housing Minister appear before the delegates to explain the Government’s proposed changes to the leasehold housing market following the response to the consultation being published.  The speech largely paraphrases the consultation response with the highlights being confirmation that ground rents are dead along with leasehold houses.

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Public sector cap on exit payments back on the agenda

The Government has intended to put a cap on the amount a public sector employee can receive on leaving employment for some time. The Enterprise Act 2016 inserted a provision into the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 which would allow the Government to introduce regulations to cap public sector exit payments at £95,000. On 10 April 2019, the Government published a consultation (including draft regulations and accompanying guidance and directions) regarding the implementation of a cap.

A review of the Government’s proposed changes to the leasehold housing market

Your project team members with design responsibility hold professional indemnity insurance in the minimum amount you have requested. So, you can relax knowing that you are covered in the event of a claim, right?  Not necessarily.

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