The Cabinet Office has issued a procurement policy note (PPN) reminding contracting authorities of the options available to them when undertaking procurements in an emergency.

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has launched a consultation on its proposed new approach to subsidy control in the UK.

A High Court judge has granted a company permission to bring judicial review proceedings in relation to a decision by The Royal Parks Limited (TRP) not to grant it an extension to a concession contract for the operation of boating facilities in Hyde Park, on the Serpentine and in Greenwich Park.

The Public Procurement Review Service received 123 complaints from businesses over the tendering of contracts in the year to 30 September 2020, the Cabinet Office has revealed in response to a freedom of information request.

A High Court judge has rejected a contention by an academy trust that a claim brought over the procurement exercise for a three-year contract to supply a cloud-based management information system was commenced out of time.

The High Court has thrown out a claim by a recycling company that Durham County Council priced it out of business through unlawful state aid.

The Court of Appeal has refused Community R4C (CR4C) permission to appeal the High Court’s dismissal of its claim against Gloucestershire County Council over the £600m+ procurement of an energy from waste plant.

A judge in the Administrative Court has rejected arguments that claims in relation to Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) ‘exit credits’ was brought out of time.

Public law firm Sharpe Pritchard has appointed a projects and procurement specialist as a partner in the public law firm’s latest round of appointments.

The National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised a lack of transparency and adequate documentation of some key decisions, “such as why particular suppliers were chosen or how government identified and managed potential conflicts of interest”, in the awarding of some contracts while government was procuring large volumes of goods and services at high speed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contracting authorities will need to publish public procurement notices from 1 January 2021 on a new e-notification service called Find a Tender, the Cabinet Office has said.

Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has strengthened its Projects and Procurement team with the appointment of Deborah Ramshaw, who re-joins the firm as a partner in its Newcastle office.

A High Court judge has dismissed an unsuccessful bidder's application for summary judgment against three councils over the award of a contract to provide a system for automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) in the Tyneside area.

In light of a recent deal involving a city council, Neil Waller and Scott Dorling look at the thorny issues around local authorities entering into interest rate swaps.

Lee Valley Leisure Trust has dropped its legal action in a bitter dispute with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority after entering administration last month.

A large academy school trust faces litigation from a firm that lost out in the award of an IT contract.

The Good Law Project and three cross-party MPs – Debbie Abrahams (Labour), Caroline Lucas (Green Party) and Layla Moran (Liberal Democrats) – have issued legal proceedings challenging the Government’s failure to publish details of contracts awarded in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic response.

The Cabinet Office has launched a new model for delivering social value through government’s commercial activities.

Councils have until November to initiate actions for potentially millions of pounds worth of damages against vehicle suppliers found in 2016 to have operated a cartel.

The Government is to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to require larger local authorities and other public bodies and businesses to take action against modern slavery risks in their supply chains.

The High Court is due next month to hear a procurement challenge over how the Royal Parks awarded a contract to organise concerts in London’s Hyde Park.

The Good Law Project and three MPs have launched a judicial review challenge amid claims that the Government has repeatedly failed to lawfully publish contract award notices, in respect of contracts connected to COVID-19, which have been awarded.

A public interest report by Grant Thornton has found that Nottingham City Council made a number of failings in the creation and management of its energy company including inadequate governance arrangements and a failure to understand the risks associated with entering the energy business.

A claimant lacked eligibility as an economic operator at the relevant time and this was sufficient to dispose of its claim against Gloucestershire County Council over the £600m+ procurement of an incinerator, a judge has ruled.

Rob Hann sets out the background to local authorities' investment in commercial property and examines why it has proved so controversial.