Colin Crawford

Practice:

All aspects of local government administration and powers, including:
. well-being powers under Local Government Act 2000
. the new constitutions
. partnership issues
. standards, conduct and probity
. all matters relating to Ombudsman powers, procedures and challenges
. local government finance including audit challenges, council tax, charging, capital finance, rating and non-domestic rates
trading, best value and procurement
judicial review

All aspects of planning and particularly:
. development control
. development plans
. housing
. retail
. commercial development
. enforcement
. s.288 challenges
. decisionmaking procedures
. compulsory purchase and compensation

Highways law
Education law, including universities
Environmental law

CEDR Accredited Mediator

Profile:

Colin practises in all aspects of public law, specialising particularly in local government law, planning, environment, and judicial review.

Since joining Chambers after an academic career, he has developed an extensive practice advising on all aspects of local authority law, including powers, constitutional matters, reorganisation, standards and probity, ombudsmen, finance, judicial review, trading, best value, and procurement.

He has acted for a wide variety of local authorities, central government, police and fire authorities, monitoring officers, the Standards Board, companies, private individuals, councillors, and various universities. While much of this is advisory work, he has also appeared in the Court of Appeal, High Court, and before the Adjudication Panel for England, the District Auditor, the Valuation Tribunal, and he has both advised and appeared before local standards committees.

He is also an editor of the Encyclopedia of Local Government Law and of Cross on Local Government Law.

He was the lead author of the study for DETR which informed, and he advised further on, the enactment of the well-being powers under Part I of the Local Government Act 2000. He is now part of the team commissioned by ODPM to undertake a major three year review of the use of these powers.

He was also an assessor for the DETR evaluating the new model constitutions issued by the Department.

He was also appointed to conduct an extensive independent investigation into complaints about, and the operation of, a local authority's planning service.

In addition to local government law, he also maintains a busy practice in planning and environmental law advising and appearing for local authorities, developers and third parties:-

. in the High Court and Court of Appeal on judicial reviews relating to local government, planning and highways matters, on s.288 and other statutory appeals, and applications for injunctions in planning and highways matters.

. at numerous public inquiries for UDP's, including promoting the Warrington UDP, local plans, and a minerals and waste local plan.

. at many public inquiries for development control appeals including many retail and housing developments, compulsory purchase matters including a CPO for Ripon town centre, footpaths and highways, and other matters.

Mediation

He is a CEDR Accredited Mediator and is a firm believer in alternatives to litigation. He will act as mediator in a wide range of disputes, but is particularly well suited to disputes involving public authorities and sensitive political issues.

He also maintains an active interest and advises on ombudsmen and other non-judicial grievance remedying mechanisms.

Significant Work includes:

In addition to the extensive local government practice outlined above, and being instructed in over 150 inquiries, including several major inquiries, he has been heavily involved in matters of legal reform and undertakes a number of consultancy roles and training for public authorities. He also publishes widely in these areas, and his writing has been cited and approved in court.

He undertook research and consultancy for DETR/ODPM leading to the enactment of the new power of economic, social and environmental well being under Part I of the Local Government Act 2000. He is now part of the team commissioned by ODPM to undertake a major long term evaluation of the use of the Well Being powers in the Local Government Act 2000.

He has also been actively involved in other aspects of the modernisation of local government, including;
in relation to constitutional matters, he was an assessor for the DETR evaluating the new model constitution issued by the Department.
in relation to standards and probity, he was involved in briefing members of the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life on local government matters.
in relation to the possible elected regional assemblies, he has advised authorities and annotated the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Act 2003 for Current Law Statutes.

He has also undertaken previously other research contracts for the Department of Environment and National Rivers Authority into various aspects of local government powers, the Local Ombudsmen, and environmental law.

He undertakes training for both officers and elected members to suit the needs of the particular authority. In recent months he has been providing courses for the training of:

Standards Committee and elected members in relation to the Codes of Conduct, both in England and in Wales;
officers and members on the well being powers under Part I of the Local Government Act 2000;
officers on charging and trading powers of local authorities;
members of planning committees on various aspects of planning law.

He is a member of the Board, and an examiner, of the Law Society’s Post Qualification Diploma in Local Government Law & Practice and is a frequent speaker at professional conferences.

His expertise extends beyond the domestic jurisdiction, and he has been:
a consultant on local government law for the Foreign Office "Know How" fund for the former Czechoslovakia and then the Czech and Slovak Republics.
a consultant for the European Commission on local government for Poland, Latvia and Lithuania
a consultant for the European Commission on procedure for major development projects in Russia.
a part-time consultant for four years in Argentina in regard to redesigning the planning system.

Significant Reported Cases:

Arrowcroft Group plc v First Secretary of State [2003] EWHC 1067 Admin (challenge to Secretary of States decision on call-in)

Warrington Borough Council v Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and Rawlinson [2003] JPL 1168 (Court of Appeal) (commented on [2003] JPL 514); [2002] EWHC 635 (Admin)(High Court) (affordable housing and green field development)

Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster) v. North Yorkshire County Council 14 December 2000, LAWTEL 14/12/2000, C7201035 (Court of Appeal); LAWTEL 15/5/2000 (Hight Court) (challenge to highway order, leave to appeal to House of Lords refused)

R. v. Commissioner for Local Administration in North and North-East England, ex. p. Liverpool City Council [2001] 1 All ER 462; [2000] LGR 571; (2000) 2 LGLR 603 (Court of Appeal) (challenge to Ombudsman's decision)

Recommendations:

Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2007 says: "In addition to planning Colin Crawford covers local government finance, constitutions and probity issues".

Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2006 says: "Colin Crawford's practice is evenly divided between planning work and more general local government issues. He is particularly well known for his experience of local government finance and knowledge of local authorities constitutions and ethical standards".

Memberships:

Member of the Board of the Law Society's post-qualification Diploma in Local Government Law & Practice and is an examiner for the Diploma.
Planning and Environment Bar Association.
Administrative Law Bar Association.
British and Irish Ombudsman Association.
UK Environmental Law Association.
Hansard Society.
Northern and North Eastern Circuits

Career & Education:
University: Degree: Called: Joined Chambers: Other Career Details:	Edinburgh LLB, 1975 (Politics & Law) LLM, 1984 (Research on Planning Law & Policy) 1997 Middle Temple (by exceptional route) 1998 Colin previously taught at the Universities of Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Reading and Stanford.

Career & Education:

University:
Degree:

Called:

Joined Chambers:

Other Career Details:

Edinburgh

LLB, 1975 (Politics & Law)

LLM, 1984 (Research on Planning Law & Policy)

1997 Middle Temple (by exceptional route)

1998

Colin previously taught at the Universities of Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh,

Reading and Stanford.