Local Government

Full range of legal support services for local and public authorities.

The services provided by local authorities are unique in their composition and complexity. Different departments operate both public and private sector models, and are subject to a correspondingly wide array of regulations and responsibilities.

Weightmans' Local Government team are experts in helping local authorities to manage these responsibilities. As one of the country's leading public sector legal practices, we work with many County, Metropolitan, Unitary and District Councils, where we have a successful track record of local delivery, based on providing efficient service and best value.

Our team of lawyers have hands-on, in-house experience of working in the public sector. This gives us an understanding of the issues you have to face as a local authority, and our constant aim is to work with you to provide practical solutions to your problems.

We provide a specialist defendant litigation service for handling all types of claims including motor, public liability (including environmental) and employers' liability (including disease and indemnity). We have considerable experience in handling some of the more sensitive and/or high profile claims you may be required to deal with, such as bullying, failure to educate and abuse.

As well as defending such claims, we are skilled in handling the media interest that they sometimes attract. We also advise on risk management strategies, both generally and in connection with specific claims. One of our Partners has written the authoritative textbook “Local Authority Liability” and we are the legal advisers to ALARM, which affords us real insight into the issues that your members and employees have to face.

Whilst we encourage a commercial, cost effective and pragmatic approach to claims, we also recognise the financial constraints and policy considerations that you have to consider, and tailor our service accordingly.

We place the people we work for and the people who work for us at the heart of everything we do, operating a genuine team ethic to ensure you receive consistent support. We are LEXCEL accredited, and our commitment to electronic case management assures the quality of everything we do. Your work will be handled by people who know their subject thoroughly, and who are fully supported by a dedicated know-how team.

One of our key differentiators as a legal practice is that we go beyond the routine at every opportunity. We seek to work in partnership with you and use our relationship as a springboard for improvement. In this regard, we provide access to our research facilities, help with professional training, arrange secondments and support with staff development, enabling your officers to innovate, develop and improve performance.

Graeme Creer

Direct dial:
0151 243 9834
Email me

Local Government - April 08
In this edition we focus on social housing, anti-social behaviour, and equal pa, update on children’s and adult services law, our regular ethical standards clinic and our digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - February 2008
In this edition we look at case law on policing, data protection, homelessness, trips at work, public procurement, school organisation and admissions, alcohol-related dismissals and protective awards in redundancy cases. We also provide updates on children and adult services, and we include our regular ethical standards clinic and our digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - Jan 2008
In this edition we focus on care services: who is eligible, who pays, and how will they be regulated? We also look at councillors: what advice should they be given, and how will the new local assessment framework operate? And we report on on-line ASBOs, tripping up fraudsters, illegal workers and TUPE transfers. We also provide updates on children and adult services developments and cases, and we include our regular digest of case law and new legislation.
Independent Schools – January 2008
As always, the New Year will no doubt provide many challenges to the Independent Schools sector, but hopefully it will also prove to be rewarding. This update looks at a number of these challenges including changes brought about by the Charities Act 2006 and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
Local Government - November 2007
In this edition we look at the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, public access to senior officers’ financial details, new cases on elections and discrimination, dedication of highways, harassment at work and age discrimination, and changes for enforcement and regulatory services. We also provide an update on children and adult services developments and cases, and we include our regular ethical standards clinic and digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - October 2007
In this edition we look at the judicial review on restructuring, the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, recent Adjudication Panel decisions on member conduct, icy highways, social care regulation, developments in adult and children’s services law and practice, bullying at school, the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare, an ombudsman’s decision on mental health duties, consultation on a new housing tribunal, the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 and CV fibbing. We also include our regular ethical standards clinic and digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - September 2007
In this edition of our e-Bulletin for local and public authorities, we highlight some changes in the law over the last two months of interest to local authorities. In this edition we look at human rights, information management, housing, licensing, gambling, children and employment. We also include our regular ethical standards clinic and digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - August 2007
In this edition we look at freedom of information and legal privilege, data protection and information sharing, enforcing the smoking ban, ethical conduct and misconduct in members’ private lives, member conduct investigations, private sewers and drains, excluded pupils, anti-social behaviour, equal pay, fair dismissal and stress, race relations and electoral candidates and planning and polytunnels. We also include our regular digest of case law and new legislation, and a new regular feature, Weightmans Ethical Standards clinic.
Local Government - July 2007
In this edition we look at corporate manslaughter, slippery floors, Mental Health Act proceedings, the new National Framework for Community Care, proposals for a single Equalities Bill, new legislation to protect workers dealing with emergencies, and a recent SEN case. We also include our regular digest of case law and new legislation.
Local Government - June 2007
In this edition we look at bus regulation, Big Brother in the workplace, the workplace in Big Brother, human rights, discrimination and racism at work, school discipline, the danger of asbestos in schools, special educational needs, damages and care provision, creating a maintainable public highway, whether parents can sue child protection professionals, and a different perspective on the smoking ban.
Independent Schools - June 2007
Welcome to the first Weightmans Bulletin for Independent Schools. Each term we aim to bring you an update about recent and forthcoming changes to the law, recent case law and guidance about particular areas of the law of relevance to you.
Local Government - May 2007
This edition includes articles on a new white paper on planning, the new Code of Conduct for Members, the case of Knowsley Housing Trust v White, freedom of information, gambling, employment law and case and legislation in April.
Local Government - April 2007
Articles covering Elections, Planning, Ethical Standards, Education, Anti-social behaviour. Mental Health, Children Act, Gambling and litigation and case updates

ALARM 2008
Venue: Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel National Exhibition Centre Birmingham B40 1PP
Monday, June 30, 2008