Councillors at West Berkshire Council voted last week to approve the UK's first Community Municipal Investment, a bond or loan mechanism issued by a council directly to the public.

The Waste and Resource Management team at law firm Bevan Brittan have advised on the completion of a hat trick of waste, recycling, and environmental services projects.

Law firm Winckworth Sherwood has promoted Theresa Kerr in Education and Jane Wakeham in Parliamentary to partner, effective from 6 April.

Law firm Bevan Brittan has advised the London Borough of Brent on a debut private placement that has raised £80m for the council.

Blake Morgan has supported Chiltern District Council in the completion of a leisure management procurement deal for three leisure centres worth nearly £36m.

The government risks "another Carillion" if it does not get behind the reforms put forward after the firm’s liquidation, a report from the Institute for Government has warned.

Broadcaster and naturalist Chris Packham is to challenge the decision of the Prime Minister to give the go-ahead to HS2, claiming that the review central to the mandate to proceed was “seriously flawed in its methods”.

A High Court judge has dismissed an application by a defendant company that a council bringing a £6m claim for alleged breaches of contract, in relation to the design and construction of a new tram depot, should not be permitted to rely upon the evidence of two experts.

Law firm Bevan Brittan has won a competitive tender to advise Sunderland City Council on the make-up and procurement of a strategic consortium to deliver cutting-edge 5G connectivity across the whole city region.

Law firm Trowers & Hamlins has advised the London Borough of Enfield on Meridian One, the first phase of the Meridian Water project.

Corby Borough Council has refused to confirm or deny local reports that it has dropped legal action over construction of the town’s Cube building.

National law firm Geldards has advised Warrington Borough Council on the acquisition of a solar farm in York that is said to be the UK’s largest and most technically advanced solar and battery storage project.

The Law Society has called for a more comprehensive review of the roles and functions of the different development corporations, “so that there is clarity as to what they are expected to deliver on and what relationship they have with the local planning authority”.

Menter Môn, a not for profit company set up to provide solutions to the challenges facing rural Wales, is to procure legal counsel for a public inquiry in relation to a tidal energy project.

The UK Municipal Bonds Agency (UKMBA) has unveiled plans to issue its first ever bond, a £250-300m 5-year SONIA linked Floating Rate Note (FRN) for Lancashire County Council.

The government declined to bail out two PFI schemes being built by failed construction firm Carillion for risk of setting a precedent that the taxpayer would bear the risk of future PFI projects that ran into trouble, a report published last week by the National Audit Office has found.

The High Court has this month rejected a legal challenge to Southwark Council’s grant of planning permission for a major redevelopment of a large site that includes the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre.

Government plans to seek cross-party consensus “urgently” in order to bring forward the necessary proposals and legislation for long-term social care reform in England were among proposals unveiled in the Queen’s Speech yesterday, but concerns have been expressed that "we've heard it all before".

The High Court has recently revisited the principles for determining the validity of overlapping consents. Gary Soloman and Alex Minhinick highlight the key points for landowners, developers and local authorities.

Northumberland County Council has had to grant itself retrospective planning permission for three ground source heat pump arrays after realising that it had gone ahead in the mistaken belief that permission was not needed.

A campaign group has said it has successfully raised sufficient funds to pursue a judicial review against East West Rail (EWR) should a route announcement for the new Bedford to Cambridge rail line be by way of Bassingbourn or neighbouring villages.

The Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that a district council acted unlawfully when, in granting planning permission for a wind turbine, it took into account a proposed donation to a local community fund.

A planning inspector exceeded her powers in a case concerning permission for wind turbines, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Law firm Bevan Brittan has appointed Colin McConaghy, a commercial projects specialist in its Bristol office, as a partner in its mid-year promotions round.

Sharpe Pritchard has advised Brentwood Borough Council and its property company, Seven Arches Investments, on a joint venture expected to be worth as much as £1bn over the next 30 years.