Local Government Law
Steel & Shamash have acted for the Labour Party since 1990.
The Labour Party has set up a service for Labour councillors, providing legal advice, based in the Party’s solicitors, Steel & Shamash. The scheme is funded through a levy to the Association of Labour Councillors
All members of the Association of Labour Councillors are entitled to contact the Local Government lawyer through a hotline, accessed by phone, post or email in the first instance and will receive a response to each separate query raised. Members may be able to receive further advice and/or representation, in exceptional circumstances depending upon the case.
This ‘hotline’ covers:
- advice for councillors who have been referred to local government’s standards regimes, and
- advice on matters relating to local government law e.g. eligibility to stand, council constitutions, declarations of interests.
Support is likely to be given:
- If a member is at risk following constructive whistle blowing
- If a member has a test case e.g.: needs defence in matters of political significance such as a public interest case, or
- If a member has acted inadvertently through poor advice or inexperience.
Support is unlikely to be provided where the member appears:
- to have acted knowingly e.g.: failing to declare an interest, or failing to retain qualification to be a councillor through a change in employment
- to have committed fraud or been referred for an alleged criminal offence
- to have been bullying or aggressive, or
- to have undertaken other inappropriate behaviour.
To contact the hotline
- Telephone 0870 890 3778 between 11 am and 1 pm Monday to Friday, or
- Email Frances.Randle@steelandshamash.co.uk
- Post to Ms. Frances Randle, Steel & Shamash, 12 Baylis Road, Waterloo. London SE1 7AA.
Our Local Government lawyer is
Ms. Frances Randle, Email frances.randle@steelandshamash.co.uk