In SALFORD CITY COUNCIL v AR (2026) EWCOP 45 (T2) the Court of Protection summarises the MULTIFACTORIAL APPROACH to assessing whether someone has been DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERTY within the meaning of ECHR Article 5, as established in Attorney General for Northern Ireland’s Reference (2026) 2 WLR 1037.
RTB
September 15th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in HousingA House of Commons Library Brief, published on 14 September 2026, discusses RTB in England.
GREEN BELT
September 15th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in Planning and EnvironmentalA House of Commons Library Briefing published on 14 September 2026 discusses Planning Policy for Green Belts and reforms under the NPPF.
EMPTY HOMES
September 15th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in HousingA House of Lords Briefing Paper published on 14 September 2026 examines empty homes in England.
OUTCOMES
September 15th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in Decision making and ContractsA MHCLG Policy Paper published on 14 September 2027 sets out an update to the LOCAL OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK.
HOMELESSNESS
July 20th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in HousingR ( GRIFFITHS-FOWELL ) v BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL ( 2026 ) EWCA 920 holds at para 109 that Section 193(6)(d) of the HOUSING ACT 1966 applies to a case where a person voluntarily ceases to occupy as his only or principal home accommodation which has been made available to him in accordance with Section 102, that is accommodation which is “ suitable “ for him. If the accommodation is UNSUITABLE then it has not been made available in accordance with Section 206 and the duty under Section 193 ( 2 ) is not discharged by virtue of Section 193 ( 6 ) ( d ).
PSED
July 20th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in Human Rights and Public Sector Equality DutyThe EHRC has on 16 July 2026 published GUIDANCE for Councillors in WALES on EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENTS.
ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE
July 20th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in Land, Goods and ServicesVALIANT PUB CO LTD v NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL (2026) UKFTT 683 (GRC) holds that, for the purpose of determining whether a building or land was an ACV, the term “ community “ in Section 88(1) of the LOCALISM ACT 2011 is not limited to the vicinity of thre premises, but extended to groups with a SUFFICIENTLY PROXIMATE CONNECTION with them.
SUBSIDY CONTROL
July 20th, 2026 by James Goudie KC in Capital Finance and CompaniesTHOMAS v DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL (2026) CAT 47 holds that under Section 70(1) of the SUBSIDY CONTROL ACT 2022 an APPLICATION FOR REVIEW OF A SUBSIDY DECISION might be made only once the authority had taken a FORMAL FINAL DECISION to give a subsidy ( or to provide assistance which the applicant considered to be a subsidy, even if the authority disputed that characterisation). Section 70(1) did NOT grant the Tribunal jurisdiction to review any earlier decision in the decision-making process , such as a provisional or “ in principle “ decision.