Welcome to Trowers first Local Government Matters of 2025! For all of you that remain committed to your new year resolutions, bravo! For my part, I have been tempted back by the refined sugar, but the three days without them were life altering……mainly for those having to listen to me bemoan my choice of resolution!
This edition of LGM is dominated by the expansive Devolution White Paper. Since its launch in late December, the white paper and its consequences (mainly in the context of local government reform and those pursuing fast track devolution) have featured heavily in the conversations the team at Trowers have been having with colleagues and clients from across the sector. There is a broad set of opinions on the white paper, but there is no denying that it is bold and ambitious and the Government is committed to progressing it at pace. In this LGM we share our podcast series "Devolution Dissected" prepared with Inner Circle Consulting that explores various aspects of the white paper as well as our guide to local government reform. We will no doubt be revisiting this topic during the course of 2025.
In addition, we also feature a number of webinars including our most recent procurement update, how the new Failure to Prevent Fraud offence will impact on local authorities as well as our series on the new Employment Rights Bill. We also include articles on the lessons we are learning from working on both PFI Expiry projects and the new leisure agency model for councils across England – and how councils can ease the progress of these types of arrangements. With lots more in addition – we hope you enjoy!
Click the links below to access the full articles:
Devolution Dissected podcast series | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
The Devolution Dissected podcast series delves into the key themes of the Devolution White Paper, offering insights into its implications for public sector transformation and regional governance.
Hosted by Amardeep Gill, Partner and National Head of Trowers & Hamlins' Public Sector team, the series features an expert panel comprising Paul McDermott, Evie John, Managing Director of Place and Chris Naylor, Managing Director of Transforming Services at Inner Circle Consulting.
Bold ambitions: an analysis of the government’s Devolution White Paper | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
The release of the government’s Devolution White Paper marks a critical moment in the effort to shift decision-making powers away from Westminster and closer to local communities. Building on the previous 25 years of devolving powers in England, the White Paper presents a bold blueprint for transferring authority over key policy areas and funding, such as economic development, housing, planning and transport.
Local government reform: bridging the divide | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
In this guide we take look at recent snapshot examples of local government re-organisation and provide general guidance for other authorities who are considering transitioning to a unitary model or are already on that journey.
We have also included links to interviews with colleagues in the sector who have undertaken re-organisations in order to provide detailed first-hand accounts on the issues that arose.
Heat Network Regulations How to prepare | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
With regulation of heat networks imminent, landlords, operators and suppliers need to be ready for regulation. This article looks at the transition to the regulated market, practical steps for existing heat networks and how to future-proof.
Webinar: Failure to prevent fraud - what it means for local authorities | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
Watch our practical and insightful webinar on the new Failure to Prevent Offence hosted by Cifas for FFCL in collaboration with Trowers & Hamlins.
This session was designed specifically for members of the FFCL network involved in tackling fraud and corruption, and provided an overview of the new offence and its implications.
Webinar: Procurement update | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
With the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 being delayed until 24 February 2025, procurement professionals across the country were given some much-needed breathing room to get ready.
Our always-popular 6-monthly procurement update returns as we enter the final sprint towards PA23 readiness.
Webinar: Trowers Tuesday – New Employment Law | Trowers & Hamlins law firm
We are excited to announce our upcoming series of Trowers Tuesday webinars, which look at the Government's radical plans to change the workplace, introducing the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation.
While the government’s ambition is clear, the journey to implement these reforms will be gradual. The Bill is not expected to pass into law until next summer, with many changes coming into effect no earlier than 2026. Consultations on the reforms are anticipated to begin in 2025.
As the expiry of many Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects approaches, contracting authorities face a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities. Effective preparation is crucial to ensure a smooth transition and the continued delivery of public services. We explore the key issues associated with PFI project expiry and offer best practice guidance, drawing on the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) guidance and our experience of PFI expiry projects, to provide contracting authorities with actionable recommendations.
The Subsidy Control Act (the Act) governs the provision of financial support by public authorities in the UK. Under the Act, procedures must be followed for most subsidy awards. However, minimal financial assistance (MFA) allows subsidies to be granted with fewer formalities. This insight provides an overview of what MFA is, when it applies, and the associated requirements.
Procurement Act 2023: what does it mean for your contracts? | Trowers & Hamlins law fir
With the “go live” date for the Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) just around the corner, contracting authorities have rightly turned their minds to what this means for procurement practice, policy and procedure.
The Act marks a departure from the current approach to public procurement, and in addition to changes to the procurement lifecycle, also introduces new concepts that impact the commercial lifecycle of public contracts.
Prior to March 2023, local authorities managing in-house leisure centres were required to treat services such as gym memberships and other facility visits as business activities for VAT purposes and pay VAT to HMRC from the income. Now, a revised treatment of VAT states these services are classified as non-business supplies for VAT purposes. This means local authorities pay no VAT on their income, as well as reclaiming all the VAT they incur on the related costs (revenue and capital) unconditionally.
The government's pledge to deliver 1.5 million more homes over the next five years has been well publicised within the housing sector and beyond. This month, the Prime Minister has set out his "plan for change" with a more detailed housing strategy expected to be released next year. What changes might be needed to meet the government's ambitious target?
