Legal Challenges to Consultation

Officers working for public bodies are well aware that the last year has seen a spate of important judicial reviews. Elected Councillors are also aware that local authorities have been in the firing line as campaigners seek to use the Courts to challenge difficult decisions. This Seminar is an opportunity to hear first-hand from some of the legal firms who have been involved in recent cases. It is the latest in a full series of events which has attracted excellent audiences from public engagement practitioners as well as senior officers who wish to understand the issues raised and the lessons that we can all learn.

We design each agenda to reflect some of the more recent developments in the Court, such as the recent 'Amazon Shed' case where a parish council successfully challenged a planning consultation for a proposed warehouse in a greenbelt.

Listening to (and being able to question) professionals who have been involved in some of these cases is a valuable and effective way to become familiar with the problems associated with the kind of decisions that have led to legal challenge. And whilst every case is different, keeping your public consultations lawful is clearly of major importance to public bodies and consultancies that work in the public domain. Note what previous attendees of these Seminars said about the event.... “speakers were of a very high standard”, “excellent insight, presented clearly given how complex some of the issues are” and “really important transfer of knowledge from the experts to us, very enjoyable”

Registration 10:00
Seminar starts 10:30
At 13:15 there will be a buffet lunch (included in price) to facilitate networking.
Seminar ends: 14:30

Attendance at this seminar gives 10 credits towards the Institute's Certificate of Professional Development.

The cost of the seminar is:
£125 + VAT for Members
£165 + VAT for Non-Members

Programme

Registration & Coffee

Welcome & Introduction

How vulnerable is consultation to challenge?
  Elizabeth Gammell– Director, The Consultation Institute

CASE STUDY ONE: Cases Session One: Legal Challenges to Consultations in the NHS
Mari Williams – Solicitor, Morgan Cole LLP

CASE STUDY TWO: Equalities Duties and Consultation - Recent Cases Conor Maguire – Solicitor, Irwin Mitchell LLP

CASE STUDY THREE: Libraries, Warehouses and Fluoridation
Rhion Jones – Director, The Consultation Institute

Presenters and colleagues welcome to remain for further
discussions with participants