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Sectors & services

Sectors

Government sector

Local authorities

Midlands Engine - ten point plan for green growth

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Midlands Engine roundtable report – building back a stronger, better and greener Midlands

Read our guide to Local Government Re-organisation

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Local authorities are facing increasing challenges. Re-organisations and structural reform, financial pressures, community engagement and the need to remain dynamic and fair through political, social and economic change; all are complex tasks heightened by intense public scrutiny and media attention. Our teams work across all council service areas and are able to provide the expertise and resource sought by local authorities. We deliver expert advice to support you in delivering your evolving roles and objectives.

What we do...

Our clients – over 200 local authorities across England and Wales.
Our experience - externally endorsed by legal directories 'demonstrating our insight into legal issues faced by local authorities', appointments to public sector consortia.
Dedicated team of over 100 lawyers - based in Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Manchester and Exeter.
Providing excellent value - through delivery of expert legal advice together with our innovative and comprehensive supporting services such as research facilities, bespoke client portals, training and insight.

Experts in our field - adult and children’s services, Public Private Partnership projects, governance, procurement and constitutional issues, regeneration, shared services, state aid, civil and criminal litigation, planning, highways, environmental, property, property investment and employment.
Thought leaders – authors of reports on the issues surrounding shared services and mutual and more recently devolution, our monthly public sector newsletter - Public Matters, blog and delivering seminars in person and on-line.

What our clients say....

Good experience over the last year. Interested in our needs and have generally responded well.

Andy Warman, Octavia Housing

What the directories say...

Browne Jacobson is excellent. It has really invested in the team and they are really good.

Chambers 2022

The team are very solution-focused with a can-do attitude. They were available any time and willing to consider any ideas the client had.

Chambers 2022

The firm has very good local government lawyers who really understand the sector.

Chambers 2022

They're got a good mix of experience in contentious and non-contentious matters. They're meticulous and details-focused.

Chambers 2021

They're reliable, knowledgeable and pragmatic in working with you.

Chambers 2021

We have used Browne Jacobson for a number of projects, usually for commercial property and development agreements. Their uniqueness lies in the fact that for the work they go on the journey with you so as well as their absolute expertise they become part of that project team – I have not seen that approach in other external lawyers we have used.

Legal 500 2021

Browne Jacobson has a rounded team able to advise on all aspects of local government and public law. I have been impressed with their collaborative approach to working with clients.

Legal 500 2021

Recent experience

Acted for a Council in relation to the construction of a new public highway required to run through a business park – our advice included: site assembly, drafting infrastructure delivery agreement and related documentation , advice on SDLT/VAT/planning/procurement and state aid issues, review and advice in relation to Landowners’ Agreement, related drafting in Infrastructure Delivery Agreement, ransom strip arrangements and sharing of access fee payments.
Instructing Doncaster MBC in relation to the sale of their entire care home estate – this included advice on vires, procurement, state aid, HR Pensions and best value.
Acting for Kent County Council on important school projects including the delivery of the Trinity Free School - a highly complex project involving early work of demolition under an initial agreement with the main contractor, building contract, plus school development agreements and leases.
Advising a local authority on the outsourcing of its Learning & Achievement Services and HR & Finance Services - strategically important for the Council as it forms part of the overall revision of its future service delivery model.
Successfully acted in the prosecution of the owner of two hotels above licensed premises, and the risk assessor, who was contracted to complete a fire risk assessment for both premises. Significant fire safety failings were discovered at both premises leading to a risk of serious injury or death in the event of a fire.

Training and events

6Jul

New guidance on exclusions - what you need to know ON24 webinar platform

The department for Education is releasing new guidance on exclusions and suspensions, making changes to the behaviour, suspension and exclusion framework and guidance. Join us on 6 July as we explain the proposed changes and help you understand how they will affect you and your school.

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13Jul

ICS Forum webinar series: New rules for service reconfiguration Microsoft Teams

Chaired by Sir Neil McKay, this 1 hour webinar, presented by Gerard Hanratty will look at the Secretary of State’s new powers under the Health & Care Act 2022 over service reconfiguration and how that will impact on the current approach. The session will look at working with your local authority and the NHS England assurance process.

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Focus on...

Blogs

Homes England partners with local authorities to boost the levelling up agenda

Homes England, the government’s housing accelerator, has partnered with two local authorities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Association of South Essex Local Authorities, in a new Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) which is designed to align with the government’s levelling up agenda by delivering new homes in the regions.

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Legal updates

Public Matters - June 2022

Updates include Acclimatise! You can’t afford to cop-out, Responding to Grenfell – Slow progress is better than none and more.

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Legal updates

Acclimatise! You can’t afford to cop out!

Climate change could result in local authorities seeing an increase in claims from the employees and the public. In this article, we share our top 10 tips for mitigating the risk of claims.

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Legal updates

The Role of SIAMs in an ICS

As times have changed, organisations have fallen in and out of love with the role of the outsourced SIAM provider versus the organisation fulfilling that role. It is a complex role and even more so in Government organisations, some with vast IT systems processing gigantic amounts of data with complex governance structures and models.

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Our people

Related opinions

Homes England partners with local authorities to boost the levelling up agenda

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80% hours for 100% pay? That’ll do nicely

As has been widely reported this week, some 3,000 UK workers are taking part in a six month trial to assess the viability of a four-day working week without any reduction in their normal pay.

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Local Health Systems: Relationships not structures

The Local Government Information Unit’s Local Democracy Research Centre report, there are calls for a reinvigorated role for local government as leaders of local health systems, to develop and strengthen relationships of trust, transparency and cooperation.

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Right to Work Checks: Changes from 6 April 2022

From 6 April 2022, right to work checks on all migrant or settled prospective employees must be online and checks on British or Irish nationals will be manual (free) or digital (charged for).

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