Local authorities are facing a period of unprecedented difficulty with budgets and jobs being cut. Councils are looking at cost saving strategies such as sharing services, outsourcing, joint ventures and regeneration to manage their budgets more effectively. Our Local Government stream of webinars will look at the legal and practical implications of these strategies. Furthermore, councils are grappling with the Localism Bill which contains a hotchpotch of reforms with wide ranging implications. Our panel of expert speakers will analyse how the key areas of the Bill, such as the general power of competence, the right to instigate local referendums, the right for local groups to bid on council services and the move away from regional planning strategies, will work in the light of great uncertainty regarding its implementation.
The webinars will provide practical guidance on a wide range of topics of concern to local authority lawyers in a memorable, stimulating and cost effective way. If you miss one, they are available to view on-demand whenever and wherever you choose.
Forthcoming Webinars
Here is the schedule of forthcoming webinars for this practice area.
On Demand Webinars
Here is a list of previously broadcast webinars that are now available on demand.
7th Feb 2011
Reducing public expenditure – dealing with the challenges
This webinar covers:
- What can and cannot be reduced
- How and when to do it - consultation, staff and governance issues
- Service Restructurings - robust decision making and consultation
- Contract Review - what room have you got to negotiate
- Income generation - an alternative to cuts?
- Shared services - costs saving and service improvement through collaboration
24th Mar 2011
Planning update
This webinar covers:
- Recent developments in case-law and the legislative and policy framework
- The localism agenda - where now for regional development planning? The role of Local Enterprise Partnerships
- The Community Infrastructure Levy under a Coalition Government - or should that be a tariff?
- Major infrastructure projects after the abolition of the IPC
- Consultation - a never ending story
11th Apr 2011
Procurement law update 2011
This webinar will cover:
• Recent procurement case law developments
• The impact of spending cuts and economic downturn – variations and other problems
• Remedies and practical experience with the new remedies regime
• Proposals for reform – the Localism Bill and the Commission’s Green Paper
25th May 2011
Total Place, building upon shared services
This webinar will cover:
The PCT perspective
• Engaging the GPs - how do you manage total place partnering arrangements on the way to abolition
• Powers and limitations in delivery
• commissioning or delivery?
• Funding spend to save in times of austerity
17th Jun 2011
Housing law update
This webinar will cover:
• Case law update
• Legislation update
• Developments in housing policy
• Equality and disability issues in housing
• Human rights and possession proceedings
• ASB and housing
• Fraud/subletting
15th Sep 2011
Corporate governance issues and general powers
The Localism Bill is expected to come into effect early in 2012 and is likely to dramatically alter local governance. It will give local councils new ‘general powers of competence’ which the government hopes will give local councils the confidence to strive for greater innovation in their delivery of public services. According to Eric Pickles this is the ‘single most important item in the Bill’. This webinar will examine what the new powers really offer local authorities, ensuring that you are prepared for the forthcoming changes.
This webinar will cover:
• Where are standards once the Code of Conduct is abolished?
• Committees, Leaders, Mayors and Super-Mayors - clarity or confusion?
• What does a general power of competence really offer local authorities?
• Is this genuine localism, or Pickles' prejudices?
25th Oct 2011
Data protection and freedom of information update
The Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Data Protection Act 1998 give everyone the right to request information held by local authorities. Our expert speakers will examine what this means in practice for local authorities to ensure that they are fully compliant with the regulations. They will also offer guidance and best practice on what local authorities need to do to protect the often sensitive data they hold, so that you do not fall foul of the Data Protection Act.
This webinar will cover:
• Update on the Freedom of Information Act
• the public interest test
• is information "held"?
• cost of compliance
• vexatious requests
• exemptions
• The new data protection directive
• Cookie law implementation
• Social media and data protection
• Bribery act and data protection
• Data protection and cloud computing
• Lessons from recent ICO enforcements
15th Nov 2011
Anti-social behaviour and prosecutions
Anti-social behaviour orders have become an increasingly emotive area of law, generating many inches of comment in the press. Our expert speakers will examine both the policy as it stands now and the government’s proposals for a ‘more effective response.’ They will provide you with practical guidance on how to bring about successful prosecutions, while also examining a host of other suitable remedies, to ensure that anti-social behaviour is curbed.
This webinar will cover:
• The importance of compliance with your policy and procedures - avoiding falling at the first hurdle!
• Presenting hearsay evidence - avoiding the blunderbuss approach!
• The tactical advantage of a prepared skeleton argument - don't leave your skeleton's in the closet!
• The vital importance of carefully drafted prohibitions - does your ASBO do what it says on the tin?
• Choosing a remedy (prosecution, injunction, ASBO or other)
• Remedies against minors
• The new gang injunction
• Avoiding discrimination
• Update on Government’s proposals “More effective responses to anti-social behaviour"
