Nicholas Hancox Solicitors
Calthorpe Green
Old Road
Acle
Norfolk   NR13 3QL

Tel:  01493 754004


What our clients say:


"I went entirely with your draft and made copies accordingly. Of course [you must] invoice us - worth every penny. Thank you for your assistance. I am sure I will be back for more advice in 2012."
- The Clerk to a Town Council in Norfolk
2011


"Thank you, on behalf of all of us, for the excellent service you have given us and for dealing so promptly with the dispute. We would all unhesitatingly recommend your firm to anyone who was facing a similar problem."
- Nicola W. (on behalf of a group of neighbours in dispute with another neighbour over a private right of way)
Norfolk, 2010


"Many thanks for your support and advice over many years, Nick. It has been much appreciated... It has been good working with you and I'll certainly recommend you, if asked, for any specialist work."
- Jane Hargreaves
Head of Quality and School Improvement, Children's Services
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, 2009

Practical legal advice from solicitors who specialise in education law, local government law, highways law and compulsory purchase

Nicholas Hancox Solicitor

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 for four years the Director of Legal Services with Norfolk County Council.

Nick founded this firm in 2003.

Debbie Ashton Solicitor

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

Local Councils' Prayers. Latest news: 20 February 2012

The recent High Court case involving Bideford Town Council means that many Parish and Town Councils must change their Agendas, so that Prayers are not part of the Council Meeting as such. Parish and Town Councillors may still pray before a meeting, but (until the law is changed again), their prayers need to be separated from their council meetings.

The Secretary of State has changed the law for County Councils and District Councils in England. See SI 2012 No. 411 - with effect from 17 February 2012. Those councils now have the "general power of competence", which is very broad, but not unlimited. (See sections 1 to 8 of the Localism Act 2011.)

But the Secretary of State has not (yet) changed the law on praying before Parish and Town Council meetings. In Parish and Town Council meetings in England and in all council meetings in Wales, prayers are at present beyond the council's powers. But the way round the lack of local council powers (in England and in Wales) is quite simple; the Chairman or Mayor can simply invite those councillors who want to pray, to meet five minutes before the council meeting starts.

Here is a Link to our web page on Parish and Town Councils

Education Law News
Bulletin 94 of The Law of Education was published (on line, on CD and in print) in February 2012. Bulletin 94, written by Nicholas Hancox, describes and discusses the recent changes in School Admissions and many other recent changes in the law of education.