Local Government Legislation
Legislative framework for local authority powers, council operations, municipal services, and community governance.
The Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority Regulations 2026
The Regulations established the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority, defined its constitution, set the election date for its first Mayor, concurrently transferred specific transport and economic development functions, and detailed its funding structure via contributions from the constituent councils.
These Regulations establish the Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority (CCA), encompassing Brighton and Hove City Council, East Sussex County Council, and West Sussex County Council, as a body corporate effective from the date the regulations were made, with mayoral functions commencing from May 2028.
The CCA is granted concurrent functions related to local transport planning, data sharing for crime reduction, and economic development, alongside powers for the authority to pay grants.
The regulations define the constitution of the CCA, mandate its funding through contributions from constituent councils based on population share, and set out the election cycle, term of office, and executive powers of the directly elected Mayor.
The Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) (Elected Member Pensions) Regulations 2026
The regulations amended the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 to introduce pension membership for elected members in England and Wales, defining eligible roles, scheme employers, and setting out specific modifications for elected service accrual, while also applying consequential amendments across several local governance orders.
These 2026 Regulations, which apply to England and Wales, amend the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Regulations 2013 to formally incorporate elected members, such as councillors and mayors of various local bodies, into the scheme, treating them as employees for pension purposes, and establishing definitions for eligible members, scheme employers, and rules for pensionable pay based on allowances received, while also making consequential amendments across numerous existing Combined Authority and County Authority establishment orders.
The Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Order 2026
The Order amended the 2008 procedural framework concerning the Mayor of London's oversight of planning applications, introduced Category 3J for large housing schemes, formalized intervention procedures, and updated legislative cross-references.
This Statutory Instrument amends the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2008 to update procedural references and introduce significant changes to how development proposals of strategic importance (PSI applications) are handled within Greater London, notably by inserting a new Category 3J covering developments involving 50 or more residential units, which triggers specific notification and potential direction powers for the Mayor of London, while also extending the Mayor's direction power to Category 3D development.
The Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 (Commencement) Regulations 2026
The regulations formally commenced sections 1, 2, and 3 of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 on April 1st, 2026.
These Regulations officially bring into force key provisions of the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 starting April 1st, 2026.
Specifically, they activate Section 1, which creates a new offence for intentional harassment, alarm, or distress motivated by sex under the Public Order Act 1986, and Section 2, which obliges the Secretary of State to issue guidance to police forces regarding this new offence, alongside Section 3 concerning consequential legal amendments.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Golders Green, London) (Emergency) Regulations 2026
Emergency regulations immediately restricted unmanned aircraft flight below 1,300 feet over Golders Green, London, for a temporary duration.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Golders Green, London) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 enact immediate, temporary restrictions on unmanned aircraft operations within a half-nautical mile radius of central Golders Green, London, prohibiting flight below 1,300 feet above mean sea level, unless authorized by the Metropolitan Police Service, due to an emergency deemed to affect the public interest.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Castlefield, Manchester) Regulations 2026
The regulations imposed a temporary ban on unmanned aircraft flying below 1,200 feet over a specified area in Castlefield, Manchester, on March 16, 2026, to protect a Royal visit.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Castlefield, Manchester) Regulations 2026 enacts temporary flight restrictions on unmanned aircraft in an area of Castlefield, Manchester, between 1100 and 1400 hours Co-ordinated Universal Time on March 16, 2026, prohibiting flights below 1,200 feet above mean sea level within a 0.5 nautical mile radius of specified coordinates, necessary due to a forthcoming Royal visit and agreed upon by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport for public safety reasons, though exemptions exist for flights authorized by Greater Manchester Police.
The Westmorland and Furness (Electoral Changes) Order 2026
The Order abolished existing electoral wards in Westmorland and Furness and established 35 new district wards and consequential revised parish wards, with implementation commencing in stages leading up to the 2027 local elections.
This Statutory Instrument, made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) under powers granted by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, formally enacts the LGBCE's recommendations for electoral changes within the Westmorland and Furness district.
It abolishes all existing district wards and replaces them with 35 new district wards, detailing the councillor allocation for each in Schedule 1, effective for elections occurring in 2027.
Furthermore, it concurrently alters the parish wards for Barrow, Dalton Town with Newton, Kendal, Pennington, Penrith, and Ulverston in Schedule 2, ensuring these consequential changes align with the new district structure for local elections.
The Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2026
The instrument codified the commencement date and established transitional rules for applying the 2026 up-rated rates of Guardian's Allowance.
The Guardian's Allowance Up-rating Regulations 2026 enact transitional and administrative rules necessary to implement the increase in Guardian's Allowance mandated by the preceding Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance Up-rating Order 2026, effective from April 6th, 2026.
These regulations specify that if questions arise regarding an individual's eligibility for the new, higher rate, the increased payment will be withheld until a formal determination is made, and they also confirm the continued applicability of rules concerning overseas beneficiaries.