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Public authorities are likely no stranger to the rules governing the modification of instruments awarded by public authorities in the procurement context[1], but the legal framework surrounding amendments made to awarded subsidies may feel less familiar. This is no surprise – in fact, at the time of writing, only 10 of the 1554 standalone subsidies…

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Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have long played a central, if controversial, role in UK infrastructure delivery. For over twenty years, models like the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and its successor, PF2, underpinned investments across schools, hospitals, justice buildings and transport networks. Yet by the end of the 2010s, these models were widely discredited. Concerns over inflexibility,…

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The UK’s new heat network zoning framework (the outlines for which were drawn by the Energy Act 2023) is set to redefine how low‑carbon heating is delivered by creating geographic zones, where district heat networks are the mandated, optimal solution. It’s an enticing proposition: guaranteed customer bases in each zone, ripe for financing and scaling….

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Is it Time for Public Sector Major Infrastructure Debt Guarantor? Ofwat, Government and Industry have identified that the UK’s water sector urgently needs substantial investment to modernise ageing infrastructure, tackle critical environmental issues, and comply with increasingly stringent regulations. The capital requirement could be as much as £12 billion per year. Recent high-profile incidents of…

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On 2 May 2025, the Court of Appeal (CoA) handed down its judgment on R (The National Council for Civil Liberties) and others v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (“Liberty”).[1] The decision clarifies the circumstances in which a public body’s engagement with third parties to inform its decision-making might constitute a “formal…

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The British Chambers of Commerce published a report on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) spend in public procurement. The report shows that SME spending has stagnated, with only 20% of all public procurement spend being with SMEs in 2024, up only 1% from the 2023 spend. The BCC’s research highlights the important role that local government…

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