Legitimate Aim and Proportionality

February 1st, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Decision making and Contracts

On 29 January 2018 the Employment Appeal Tribunal (Sir Alan Wilkie) handed down Judgment in discrimination cases relating to the transitional provisions put in place by for example the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, under the Public Service Pensions Act 2013, as part of major changes to public sector pensions following the Hutton Report.

The EAT ruled that, in favouring those closer to retirement age, a legitimate social policy aim was being pursued that was capable of justifying direct discrimination. The EAT further ruled that an ET must make up its own mind as to whether the transitional provisions in support of that legitimate aim are proportionate having regard to their discretionary effect.  That is not a matter for a “margin of discretion”.

 

Ethics

January 30th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Standards

The Committee on Standards in Public Life has on 29 January 2018 initiated a review of and consultation upon local government ethical standards, for responses by 18 May 2018. The consultation questions are: Read more »

 

Environmental Information

January 29th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Planning and Environmental

Regulation 12(5)(a) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 is a qualified exception from disclosure requirements on the ground of adverse effect upon public safety. In Natural England v Information Commissioner, EA/2017/0160, with respect to culling of badgers, the FTT, on 24 January 2018, stated:-

“66.    Natural England’s case as to the law was largely accepted by the other parties.  We also accept that: the term “public safety” in the EIRs should be read as importing the concept of “public security” referred to in the Aarhus Convention and the Directive.  We accept that, in principle, harm or an increased risk of harm to one person or their property could engage the exception and that there is no additional requirement for there to be widespread disorder and chaos.  We find, however, that the placement of “public safety” in a composite exception in the EIRs which also includes international relations, defence and national security must also be accorded some significance. Read more »

 

Housing need

January 23rd, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Housing

In Jelson Ltd v SoS for CLG and Hinckley & Bosworth BC (2018) EWCA Civ 24 the Court of Appeal has restated (1) that national policy and guidance does not dictate exactly how a decision-maker is to go about identifying a realistic and reliable figure for housing need, against which to test the relevant supply, (2) that responsibility for the assessment of housing need lies with the decision-maker, and that (3) the scope for a reasonable and lawful planning judgment is broad.

 

Rateable value

January 23rd, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Council Tax and Rates

Ascertainment of the rateable value of a non-domestic hereditament requires that each individual hereditament should be individually assessed and the application of a hypothesis. If the property is in rateable occupation at all, the rateable value is taken to be an amount equal to “the rent at which it is estimated the hereditament might reasonably be let from year to year” on the three assumptions set out in paragraph 2 of Schedule 6 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988.  Read more »

 

Legitimate Expectation

January 15th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Decision making and Contracts

In Richborough Estates Ltd v SoS for CLG (2018) EWHC 33 (Admin) the Claimants challenged the Defendant’s decision to issue a Written Ministerial Statement (“WMS”) in relation to national planning policy concerned with housing and neighbourhood planning, together with a subsequent associated change to the National Planning Practice Guidance (“the PPG”). Read more »

 

BIAS

January 15th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Decision making and Contracts

R (Legard) v Kensington and Chelsea RLBC (2018) EWHC 32 (Admin) concerns the Council’s decision to permit a Neighbourhood Plan, for the designation of land as a Local Green Space, pursuant to paragraph 77 of the NPPF, to proceed to a Referendum.   The various grounds of complaint included allegations of apparent bias, breaches of the requirements of fairness, and ultra vires. Read more »

 

Fracking

January 15th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Planning and Environmental

Did the DoS for CLJ err in law in granting planning permission for exploration works to test the feasibility of extracting shale gas by the process of hydraulic fracturing – commonly known as “fracking” – at two sites in Lancashire? That was the basic question in Frackman v SoS for CLJ (2018) EWCA Civ 9.

The Court of Appeal said that the case did not raise any novel or controversial point of law. Nor had there been any error of law.  A reference to the CJEU was refused.  The SoS had not misconstrued or misapplied Policy.  Nor were his decisions vitiated by procedural unfairness.  Also dismissed, distinguishing Application by Friends of the Earth for Judicial Review (2017) NICA 41, were complaints that he had failed to heed relevant EU principles, that he had failed to act in accordance with environmental impact principles, and that he had failed to apply “the precautionary principle”. Read more »

 

Insolvency Proceedings

January 11th, 2018 by James Goudie KC in Judicial Control, Liability and Litigation

In China Town Development Co Ltd v Liverpool City Council (2017) EWHC 3347 (Ch) the High Court granted an injunction preventing the City Council from presenting a winding-up petition. There was a genuine argument that a premium for two leases was not due on completion of the first lease.  Barling J concluded that insolvency proceedings were not the appropriate vehicle for resolving a genuine dispute on substantial grounds as to the interpretation of the agreement or whether it should be rectified.  The principles were restated as to interpretation and rectification of contracts.

 

Whether Duty of Care

January 2nd, 2018 by admin in Judicial Control, Liability and Litigation

The Court of Appeal in CN v Poole Borough Council (2017) EWCA Civ 2185 held that there was no tortious duty of care on the part of the local authority in making a housing placement to protect children from harassment and abuse by neighbours.  Irwin LJ concluded:-

“93.    It is common ground that Parliament did not create a right of private law action for breach of the duties, or negligence in the exercise of the powers, under the Children Act relevant to this case. … the matter must be approached in terms of the existence or absence of a common law duty of care, not in terms of immunity from a duty of care which would implicitly otherwise exist. … policy considerations … bear on whether a duty of care exists, not on immunity. Read more »

 

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