Local Government Legislation

Legislative framework for local authority powers, council operations, municipal services, and community governance.

The Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Amendment Order 2025

This Order, made by the Secretary of State with the consent of the Treasury, amends the Income-related Benefits (Subsidy to Authorities) Order 1998 to revise how housing benefit subsidy is calculated and paid to local authorities in England, Wales, and Scotland.

Key changes include updating the Housing Benefit Assurance Process deadline, allowing local authorities flexibility in limiting deductions for historic overpayments, substituting the schedules detailing administration subsidy sums for the 2024-2025 relevant year, adjusting incentive payments for verification schemes, and setting specific deduction figures for Welsh authorities for the 2025/2026 relevant year.

The Oaklands Farm Solar Park (Correction) Order 2025

This Order, known as the Oaklands Farm Solar Park (Correction) Order 2025, formally enacts corrections to the original 2025 Development Consent Order (DCO) granted under the Planning Act 2008, following a request from the applicant.

The Order specifies these technical amendments, primarily involving the substitution of lists, numbering sequences, and minor textual variations across various articles and schedules pertaining to the solar park development, and it came into force on October 9th, 2025.

The Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025

This statutory instrument, made under the powers of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 and the Traffic Management Act 2004, amends several pieces of legislation governing street and road works in England, with effect from January 5th, 2026.

The key changes involve doubling fixed penalty amounts for notice breaches and permit violations, extending the calculation basis for charges on unreasonably prolonged occupation, and requiring highway authorities to dedicate 50% of the net excess proceeds from occupation charges to highway maintenance.

The Power to Award Degrees etc. (Hull College Group) Order of Council 2015 (Amendment) Order 2025

This Order, made by the Office for Students under the powers of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, formally amends the existing 2015 Order concerning Hull College Group's power to award degrees, extending the fixed term of this competence to expire at the end of the day on March 30, 2029.

The procedure involved obtaining advice from the relevant body regarding the quality and standards of the higher education provided by the institution.

The Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) (Revocation) Regulations 2025

These Regulations, made by the Secretary of State under the Online Safety Act 2023, revoke the Online Safety Act 2023 (Commencement No. 5) Regulations 2025, thereby preventing specific provisions of the Act that mandate certain user-to-user service providers to report child sexual abuse and exploitation content to the National Crime Agency from coming into force on their scheduled date of November 3rd, 2025; this legislative action extends across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and is stated not to require a full impact assessment.

The East Yorkshire Solar Farm (Correction) Order 2025

This Order, officially titled The East Yorkshire Solar Farm (Correction) Order 2025, formally amends specific linguistic and structural errors found within the previous development consent approval, The East Yorkshire Solar Farm Order 2025, as granted under the Planning Act 2008; these corrections were enacted by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero following a formal request from the project applicant and come into force on September 20th, 2025.

The Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure 2025 (Commencement) Order 2025

Published: Mon 29th Sept 25

This Order officially establishes the commencement date for the Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure 2025, bringing the Measure into force, insofar as it is not already active, on 1st October 2025.

The Church Commissioners enacted this Order using powers granted under previous measures, including the Chancel Repair (Church Commissioners’ Liability) Measure 2025 and related governing legislation.

The Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council and Warwickshire County Council (Housing and Regeneration Functions) Regulations 2025

Published: Fri 26th Sept 25

These Regulations formally transfer specific housing, regeneration, land acquisition, and financial assistance functions, previously held by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) under the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, to Buckinghamshire Council, Surrey County Council, and Warwickshire County Council, enabling them to exercise these powers concurrently within their respective local government areas to meet local needs for housing, infrastructure, and community well-being.