The Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (England) Regulations 2017, SI 2017/1050, (“the 2017 Regulations”), supplement provisions in Acts for fixed penalties payable in respect of offences relating to the environment. They replace the Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2007 (“the EOR 2007”) (except for Regulation 2(2)(b) and 3(2)(b) of the EOR 2007). The 2017 Regulations prescribe the ranges within which the amounts of certain fixed penalties that are capable of being specified by a local authority are required to fall (Regulations 2 to 5). The ranges for littering, free distribution of printed matter on designated land and graffiti and fly-posting (see Regulations 4 and 5) are different to those under the EOR 2007. For the period beginning with 1 April 2018 and ending with 31 March 2019, the range is not less than £50 and not more than £150 (Regulation 4). From 1 April 2019, the range is not less than £65 and not more than £150 (Regulation 5).

Regulations 6 and 7 amend the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 in relation to England to increase the amount of the penalties for littering, free distribution of printed matter on designated land and graffiti and fly-posting where a local authority does not specify an amount. The penalty for each is increased from £75 to £100.

The 2017 Regulations also state a minimum lesser amount which an authority may treat as payment of the full amount if paid before the end of a period specified by the authority in relation to certain fixed penalties (Regulations 8 to 11).

The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, SI 2017/1012 (the “Habitats Regulations 2017”) consolidate and update the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (the “Habitats Regulations 2010”). The Habitats Regulations 2017 consolidate all the various amendments made to the Habitats Regulations 2010 and also introduce a small number of minor amendments designed to take account of changes to other related legislation, such as amendments to Town and Country Planning legislation, rectify previous omissions, or improve the clarity of drafting. Read more »

In Sheffield City Council v Fairhall and others ( 2017 ) EWHC 2121 ( QB ) Males J granted the City Council an injunction to restrain direct action against highway tree removal. The tree removal was for the purpose of highway maintenance and was lawful. Objectors maintaining a presence in a safety zone after barriers had been erected and a notice had been displayed were committing a trespass.

In R (Muir) v Wandsworth LBC (2017) EWHC 1947 (Admin) Lang J held that the Council lacked the power to grant a 15 year lease of a building on Wandsworth Common for use as a nursery for pre-school children. Under Section 10 of the Open Spaces Act 1906 and a Greater London Open Spaces Order the Council held not only the Common itself but also buildings on the Common on a statutory trust. The beneficiaries of the trust are the inhabitants of Wandsworth. The Council was obliged to maintain access for all local residents for the primary purpose of public recreation.

In Southwark LBC v Transport for London (2017) EWCA Civ 1220 the Court of Appeal applied the common law meaning of “highway” as only the road surface and “the top two spits” of subsoil necessary to use as a highway, and not the entire vertical interest in the land on which the highway runs.

In R (St John’s College, Cambridge) v Cambridgeshire County Council (2017) EWHC 1753 (Admin) the College sought permission to apply for judicial review of two decisions of the Council in its capacity as commons registration authority for the area under the Commons Act 2006.  The decisions challenged related to an application on behalf of a Residents Association to register land belonging to the College as a town or village green under Section 15 of the 2006 Act. The case raised, apparently for the first time, the question whether the correction of defective applications to ensure that they are duly made under the 2006 Act is limited to one occasion only. Read more »

In R (Hemming) v Westminster City Council (2017) UKSC 50, Supreme Court Judgment on 19 July 2017, is a sequel to the Supreme Court’s previous judgment dated 29 April [2015] UKSC 25; [2015] AC 1600. It is written with the benefit of the Court of Justice’s answer dated 16 November 2016 ((Case C-316/15) [2017] PTSR 325) to the question which that judgment referred to the Court of Justice. The appeal concerns fees which were charged to the respondents on applying to Westminster City Council for sex shop licences for the three years ended 31 January 2011, 2012 and 2013 and which included the Council’s costs of enforcing the licensing scheme against unlicensed third parties running sex shops (“enforcement costs”). The respondents’ applications all in the event succeeded. Read more »

The Local Government Association has published Guidance for Councils on Public Spaces Protection Orders under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

On 27 April 2017 the Bus Services Act 2017 received the Royal Assent.

On 27 April 2017 the Parking Places (Variation of Charges) Act 2017, extending to England and Wales, received the Royal Assent. It makes provision in relation to the procedure to be followed by local authorities when varying, from 2 months after this date, the charges to be paid in connection with the use of certain parking places.  Section 1 relates to the procedure for varying charges at off-street parking places.  It amends Section 35C of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. Section 2 of the 2017 Act relates to the procedure for varying charges at designated parking places.  It amends Section 46A of the 1984 Act.  Regulations under Section 35C and 46A of the 1984 Act may now make “different provision for different purposes”.