Local Government & Public Law

Chambers is committed to providing exceptional advice and advocacy across a broad range of local government and public law disciplines. Judicial review is an expertise.

Chambers is client-focused and in particular has long experience of representing local authorities and the police in a wide range of matters. Chambers pioneered best value agreements with local authorities and currently have ‘preferred set’ status with over 30 of them, including the 16 councils which make up the Sussex Consortium of Councils. We have had, for many years, particularly strong links with Sussex Police.

Education

We are regularly instructed in cases of special educational needs (in First-tier Tribunal Special Educational Needs and Disability and on appeal) and judicial review.

Healthcare

We appear at Independent Review Panels in appeals against refusals of NHS funding for continuing healthcare and are familiar with the assessment of levels of need in domains of the decision support tool.

Immigration

The Immigration team accepts instructions to advise and appear on behalf of claimants and the Secretary of State in appeals across the full range of immigration law and in judicial reviews of immigration decisions, including:

• European migration, including permits and residence cards
• Family migration
• Asylum and humanitarian protection
• Human rights claims
• Business and employment migration
• Naturalisation

Inquiries

We have represented a number of Local Authorities, Police Authorities and NHS Trusts at inquiries. Members of chambers have appeared in some of the leading cases in the field.

Licensing

Our licensing team enjoys “preferred set” status with the Sussex Consortium of 16 local authorities and also acts for individual license-holders and drivers, companies, operators and representative organisations. We appear before local authority committees and the Traffic Commissioner as well as the courts. We have expertise in alcohol, taxi, transport and firearm licensing.

Team members specialise in complementary areas such as crime and personal injury and can offer a comprehensive and seamless service covering these related areas thereby saving costs. This is particularly important in Licensing because relatively simple accidents might easily lead to the revocation of a private hire licence, criminal prosecution and a personal injury claim. A routine visit to by a licensing officer may result in a prosecution under Licensing, Health and Safety or Environmental law.

Planning

We act for developers, planning authorities and objectors. We regularly advise and appear in inquiries and related High Court proceedings and appeals in planning matters such as:

• Retail and Leisure industry development
• Over-development and roof-top development
• Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Ancient Monuments
• Adequacy of reasons for decision following CPRE Kent v China Gateway International Ltd. [2017] UKSC 79
• Section 106 agreements
• Change of Use and Certificates of Lawfulness
• GPDO rights
• Breach of condition
• Injunctions, stop notices, enforcement notices and prosecutions

We like to get on site early on and, in case of emergency, within 24 hours. When planning issues are linked to questions about restrictive covenants, easements and licensing we have that expertise too.

Police Law

We act for police forces, individual officers, policing associations and claimants across the full range of cases involving the police, including:

• Civil actions against the police in respect of assault, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in a public office, false imprisonment, negligence and Human Rights Act 1998 claims
• Police disciplinary proceedings, including appeals to the Police Appeals Tribunal and judicial review of police disciplinary decisions
• Inquests and inquiries involving the police

Property & Housing Law

We advise Local Authorities and Housing Associations on all aspects of their commercial and residential property portfolios, including business and residential tenancies as well as restrictive covenants and easements. We regularly represent them in the courts and Lands Tribunal – significant cases include Brighton & Hove City Council v Collinson [2004] 28 E.G. 178 and Brighton & Hove City Council v Hann & Others [2009].

We also regularly act for Authorities and Associations in housing and homelessness-related matters with particular expertise in cases of anti-social behaviour and sensitive cases involving people with disabilities. We have expertise in public nuisance.

For information on our team based in London, please click here.