Practical legal advice from solicitors who specialise in education law, local government law, highways law and compulsory purchase
Nicholas Hancox Solicitor
is one of the editors of a seven-volume legal textbook, published by Lexis Nexis and called ‘The Law
of Education”.
He qualified as a solicitor with a local authority in 1977 and was once the Director of Legal
Services with Norfolk County Council.
Nick founded this firm ten years ago, in 2003.
Debbie Ashton Solicitor
qualified in 2004 and specialises
in local council law and education law.
Debbie is the National Legal Advisor for the Society of Local Council
Clerks.
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NEWS
Education Law News
Bulletin 100 of The Law of Education was published
(on line, on CD and in print) in April 2013. Bulletin 100, written by Nicholas Hancox, describes and discusses
recent changes in the law of education. The Headline this time is about a non-event! The much-vaunted case
of Lewisham v AQA, Edexcel and Ofqual simply fizzled out.
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
Parish and Town Council clients were interested to read in Hansard a report on the
debate in Westminster Hall on 16 January 2013. Various MP's were very rude about various Monitoring
Officers and Parish Clerks, saying that the Ethical Standards regime introduced under the Localism
Act 2011 is being "gold-plated" by the officers who are, the MP's said, refusing to accept that the
new regime is much less restrictive than then old one.In particular, the MP's said, setting the precept
was not intended ever to require councillors to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest.
The situation has now been clarified by Government Advice confirming that it is not at all necessary
to declare a "DPI" in a Council debate on setting the annual Precept.
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On 11 December 2012, Nick Hancox celebrated 40 years of fun, working in and for
the local government service. Click here to read his light-hearted
Reminiscence called "Forty Years of Fun".