Harriet Townsend

Harriet’s experience of highways and rights of way includes inquiries into compulsory purchase, diversion, and creation orders, as well as other related work. Other work within the local government field has included:

• Housing and homelessness
• Applications for injunctions on behalf of local authorities, including (but not only) planning injunctions.
• Bias and predetermination in decision making.
• The tort of misfeasance in public office.
• Local authority powers eg purchase and sale of land; wellbeing powers.
• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
• The Mental Health Act 1983.
• Residential Care Homes – recovery of sums due.
• Control Orders and Houses in Multiple Occupation.
• The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
• Licensing of public entertainment; all areas of local authority licensing (former editor of Atkins Court Forms on Licensing).

Harriet is one of two specialist contributing editors on local government law in the forthcoming edition of - Jowitt’s Dictionary of English Law.