Local Government
Introduction
Ashfords have a wide reaching local government practice, advising local and regional bodies on all legal issues that affect them. Many of our solicitors have previously worked in-house in Local Government and therefore we have an understanding of the issues which are of importance to democratically elected organisations.
For a number of years we have undertaken all non-routine litigation for the London Borough of Wandsworth, and we are one of the four partner firms appointed to what is probably the largest local government partnering initiative, the East Midlands Law Share consortium. We are also panel law firms for authorities such as the London Boroughs of Southwark and Ealing as well as one of the panel firms for the South West of England Regional Development Agency.
Work handled includes:
- Standards complaints and investigations
- Monitoring officer support
- Attendance at committees
- Judicial review
- Social Housing
- Homelessness
- Education law
- Planning
- Section 106 agreements
- Highways
- Rights of way
- Traffic regulation orders
- Compulsory Purchase
- Regeneration
- Construction
- State aid
- Projects and PFI
- Partnering and joint working
- Commercial property advice
- Charities
- Private bills
- Town and village green applications
- Licensing
- Environmental health advice
- Employment
- Debt Recovery
- Training for elected members and officers
- Data Protection and Freedom of Information
Recent work undertaken includes:
- Various standards investigations
- St Austell Town centre regeneration and compulsory purchase order
- Cranbrook – east of Exeter new settlement, advice on planning
- Project Taunton – partnering issues for regeneration of Taunton
- Various rights of way cases for Nottinghamshire County Council
- First registration of title for a south west City council
- Many traffic regulation orders for a south west County Council
- Licensing committees and appeals for a London Borough
