18/05/2026
Welcome to the May edition of Local Authority View, an update summarising recent Government publications, legislation, cases and other developments relevant to those involved in the local authority sector.
This month, we have covered the following:
- LGR: What will happen to our city or borough?
- Mental Health Act 2025 - Practical considerations and how to prepare for changes from a local government perspective
- Prosecution bites – council tax fraud
- Proceeds of sale and the 12-year rule
- The Schools’ White Paper
- What do recent announcements about the Warm Homes Plan and heat network zoning mean for local authorities?
LGR: What will happen to our city or borough?
Local government reorganisation (LGR) raises an urgent question for many councils: what happens to a city or borough's identity, status, and civic traditions when it changes shape or merges into a larger unitary authority as a result of LGR?
This article considers what is at stake and what options are available. It cuts through the complexity, from boundary expansions and charter trustees to the cautionary tale of Rochester, to set out the practical steps predecessor councils need to take now to protect their civic heritage.
Mental Health Act 2025 - Practical considerations and how to prepare for changes from a local government perspective
The Mental Health Act 2025 is the most significant overhaul of mental health legislation since 1983, and received Royal Assent in December 2025. Local authorities are in the frame for some of its most operationally demanding changes.
From revised detention criteria and new section 117 aftercare rules to expand advocacy commissioning and a new 'nominated person' regime, this article sets out what's changing and what councils should be doing now to prepare.
Prosecution bites – council tax fraud
The scale of council tax fraud is significant, and the financial pressure on local authorities makes tackling it more urgent than ever. This article outlines the forms fraud commonly takes, the criminal and civil routes available to councils for enforcement, and the recovery mechanisms (including compensation orders and Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation) that prosecution can unlock.
Proceeds of sale and the 12-year rule
Can a local authority keep the net proceeds of an enforced sale if the property owner has not claimed them after 12 years? The simple answer is no, and the detailed answer is this article.
This article explains the statutory trust that arises under the Law of Property Act 1925, why section 21 of the Limitation Act applies (not section 20), and what councils should actually do with unclaimed funds.
The Schools’ White Paper
The long-awaited School's White Paper sets out an ambition vision for education reform. For local authorities, it signals both significant opportunity and considerable responsibility.
At its heart is a commitment to overhauling the SEND system, rebuilding trust with parents, and repositioning councils as genuine partners in an inclusive national education mission. This article examines what the White Paper means in practice for local authorities and where the pressure points lie.
What do recent announcements about the Warm Homes Plan and heat network zoning mean for local authorities?
The Warm Homes Plan puts local authorities at the heart of the UK's push to decarbonise heat and end fuel poverty, but ambition comes with complexity. Forthcoming heat network zoning regulations will reshape how councils engage with energy infrastructure, introduce new governance structures, and create both commercial opportunities and conflicts of interest to navigate.
Policy moves fast. Stay ahead of the trends by following our dedicated Central & Local Government page.
