Local Government Legislation
Legislative framework for local authority powers, council operations, municipal services, and community governance.
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Dinas Powys, Wales) (Emergency) Regulations 2026
The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Dinas Powys, Wales) (Emergency) Regulations 2026 immediately restricts all unmanned aircraft from flying below 1,400 feet above mean sea level within a 0.5 nautical mile radius centered on Dinas Powys, Wales, due to an emergency affecting the public interest, though these controls do not apply to aircraft operating under directions from the South Wales Police and are intended to be temporary.
The Mental Health Act 2025 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2026
These Regulations officially bring Sections 51 and 52 of the Mental Health Act 2025 into legal force starting April 6th, 2026.
Section 51 extends the Human Rights Act 1998 compatibility requirements to mental health services provided by private care providers across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, while Section 52 places a specific duty on the Secretary of State to review and report on the regulations concerning notification to the Care Quality Commission when individuals under eighteen are admitted as inpatients for mental health treatment, applicable only to England.
The Further Education (Initial Teacher Training) Regulations 2026
These Regulations, made under the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, establish a framework for quality assurance over Initial Teacher Training for Further Education (ITT(FE)) courses in England.
The rules mandate that educational institutions offering specified ITT(FE) courses must register with the Secretary of State, adhere to published guidance on course delivery and curriculum content, and provide regular, detailed information regarding their courses, students, and graduates, culminating in an annual public report by the Secretary of State summarizing sector compliance.
The Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2026
These Regulations bring into force the second tranche of provisions from the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025 starting on 1st April 2026, specifically activating sections establishing new powers for investigating and recovering losses from fraud against public authorities outside of tax and social security, introducing criminal offences and administrative penalties for non-benefit payment fraud, and extending relevant Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 powers to authorized investigators.
The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) (Amendment) (Specified Period) Order 2026
This Statutory Instrument, made on March 25th, 2026, amends the preceding Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022 by extending the overall period of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme by nine months, shifting the end date for the home-heating cost reduction target from March 31st, 2026, to December 31st, 2026.
The Order also adjusts several associated deadlines for remaining procedural steps, applications, and measure approvals under the ECO scheme across England, Wales, and Scotland, ensuring consistency with the newly defined final date.
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (Local Planning) (Modification and Consequential Amendments) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
The Crown Estate (Amendment) Act 2013 formally establishes the legal framework for the management and operational funding of the Crown Estate, transferring the income from the estate, which is currently surrendered to the Treasury by the Sovereign, to be legally controlled by Parliament through the Secretary of State.
The Act specifies that the net revenue generated by the Crown Estate must be paid to the Consolidated Fund, thereby consolidating its status as a national asset whose proceeds benefit the Exchequer, rather than being managed under an existing system of prerogative or convention.
The Procurement Act 2023 (Specified International Agreements and Saving Provision) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2019 serves to formally remove enactments from the statute book that have become obsolete, spent, or unnecessary.
This legislation periodically cleanses the statute book by specifying which parts of previous Acts are repealed and clarifies the saving and transitional provisions related to those repeals, thereby ensuring the continuing legislation remains current while removing historical legal clutter.
The Sussex and Brighton Combined County Authority Regulations 2026
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.