Tag: local government
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Thomas Poole and Elena De Nictolis: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
After months of parliamentary debate, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (‘English Devolution Act’) received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. The Act has important implications for the relationship between central and local government and the long-running ‘English question’ in UK constitutional politics. This post situates the Act within almost three decades of…
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Mark K Heatley: The Disadvantages of Local Legislation
The term Private Acts of Parliament (PA) is widely used to include local Acts, that benefit organizations such as local authorities or authorize major infrastructure projects and are often of limited geographical extent, or personal Acts that benefit individuals. This post considers the reasons for the decline in the enaction of Local Acts of Parliament…
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Rhiannon Ogden-Jones: Legal Uncertainty and the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill 2023
The Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill (‘LURB’), currently before the House of Lords, aims to facilitate the government’s levelling-up agenda, which was set out in the ‘Levelling-Up the United Kingdom’ White Paper in 2022. At 222 clauses and 18 schedules, full consideration of the Bill (as amended in Committee, 24th May 2023) would require more than…
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John Stanton: Law, Localism, and the Constitution: A Comparative Perspective
Local government is an aspect of UK constitutional law that is often neglected or overlooked. Councils, though, are a vital part of our governmental order, providing the services and opportunities, and making the decisions and policies, that shape a large part of our day-to-day lives. They are also the institutions of government with which the…
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Anurag Deb and Nicholas Kilford: The UK Internal Market Act: Devolution Minimalism and the Competence Smoke Screen
The UK’s territorial constitution is, at present, under a great deal of pressure. Those familiar with one force unsettling the devolution framework — the attempts to override the Northern Ireland Protocol — will no doubt recall the legislation that first countenanced a similar approach: the UK Internal Market Act 2020 (UKIMA). This piece of legislation…
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Mark K Heatley: The Implications of the Hertfordshire County Council Case for Local Democracy
The High Court recently delivered its judgment in the case of Hertfordshire County Council v Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, finding that remote meetings of local councils could not continue after 7 May 2021. This article looks at the decision and considers its impact for future local democracy. In England council…
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Robert Thomas: Local Government Devolution in England
Cross-posted from the Centre on Constitutional Change. At last, devolution is happening in England, but there are some areas of concern especially as regards the lack of public engagement and the legal framework. So far, devolution has concerned 15 per cent of the UK’s population leaving the remaining 85 per cent more or less as…
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Austerity and Public Law: Alexander Latham: Defending Rights in the Face of Austerity: Is the Supreme Court Calling Time on Social Housing Managerialism?
Editors’ note: The blog is running a series titled ‘Austerity and Public Law’. The theme explores the implications or impact of the austerity measures in the UK or any European or Commonwealth government have had on public law or the enjoyment of public law rights. We welcome further submissions of 1,000 words or less, though…
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Austerity and Public Law: Richard Clayton QC: Accountability, Judicial Scrutiny and Contracting Out
Editors’ note: The blog is running a new series titled ‘Austerity and Public Law’. The theme explores the implications or impact of the austerity measures in the UK or any European or Commonwealth government have had on public law or the enjoyment of public law rights. We welcome further submissions of 1,000 words or less,…
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Austerity and Public Law: Jed Meers: The Localism-and-Austerity Hybrid: The Case of Discretionary Housing Payments
Editors’ note: The blog is running a new series titled ‘Austerity and Public Law’. The theme explores the implications or impact of the austerity measures in the UK or any European or Commonwealth government have had on public law or the enjoyment of public law rights. We welcome further submissions of 1,000 words or less,…