Tuesday 15 November 2022

Despite not professing to lay down definitive guidance, the Court of Appeal decision in the joined appeals of HXA v Surrey and YXA v Wolverhampton 2022 has the potential

Thursday 27 October 2022

Over the past five years at Zurich Municipal we have experienced large losses in housing associations, where large losses totalled £36 million. Of these losses, 62.5%

Tuesday 25 October 2022

Yesterday we welcomed members, sponsors and partners to the ALARM Scotland Conference in Stirling. This year's theme is Beyond the Horizon, focusing on the skills and

Thursday 29 September 2022

The annual awareness calendar provides us with many opportunities to pause for thought and reflect on a comprehensive array of meaningful subjects. Awareness days are

Friday 9 September 2022

It is with deep sadness we hear the news of the passing of our beloved Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Our hearts go out to the Royal Family, and we offer them our

Thursday 18 August 2022

The World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Report identified risks around people, places and the planet as top in terms of likelihood and severity, with the impact

Wednesday 17 August 2022

People are a fundamental factor in the drive to sustainability. We need to think differently, plan creatively, and act sustainably in order to achieve our ambitious

Tuesday 9 August 2022

Most ALARM members are likely to have a property exposure within their risk portfolio. If you are looking for insurance to provide adequate compensation following a

Thursday 21 July 2022

The Highway Code sets standards road users are expected to meet to ensure their road use is safe and compliant with the law. In turn, the Code is a benchmark against

Tuesday 24 May 2022

Background In December 2020, 15-year-old Child Q was pulled out of her GCSE mock exam and taken into the school’s medical room by the police. She was subjected to a

Thursday 19 May 2022

Published on 7 April 2022, the updated Commercial rent code of practice follows changes made during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this article is to provide some

Friday 29 April 2022

Delivering a more efficient, fast and accessible service are the key drivers behind the court’s introduction of the Damages Claims Portal (DCP), which forms part of HM

Tuesday 26 April 2022

An organisation’s ability and skills to recognise and manage stress in the workplace has improved greatly over the last decade. However, post-pandemic, there is a

Wednesday 13 April 2022

ALARM IS CURRENTLY SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Are you passionate about helping ALARM develop and grow? If so, we are seeking expressions of interest

Monday 11 April 2022

This year, as President of ALARM, I have chosen to support Shelter as my President’s charity. With so many societal issues around home insecurity and homelessness

Wednesday 6 April 2022

Job losses and business closures have the potential to affect communities through possible arrears to all sectors. Can the negative consequences of this cycle be

Monday 21 March 2022

ALARM is delighted to announce the launch of a new sector group: Health & Social Care. This Group has been established in response to a growing interest in health

Thursday 10 March 2022

ALARM Blue Light Group The Blue Light Group continue to hold well attended monthly lunchtime meetings via Teams to networking and share best practice for members.

Tuesday 8 March 2022

On this International Women’s Day, gender equality in top positions in the UK remains an ambition without a target date for achievement. Positively there have been

Thursday 24 February 2022

‘Shallowfake’ is a form of disinformation produced to validate a non-truth, like digitally altering the contents of a driving licence to support a false identity. The

Wednesday 16 February 2022

In London Borough of Barking and Dagenham & Anor v Persons Unknown & Ors 2022 ; the net has been spread wider with a ruling that final injunctions could be made

Thursday 10 February 2022

In May 2021 the Prime Minister announced a public inquiry into the way the COVID-19 pandemic has been handled. In December 2021, the first step of this process, the

Tuesday 8 February 2022

Today (8 February) marks Safer Internet Day, exploring respect and relationships online. Shireen Walton from Bee Resilient explores the psychological impact of online

Friday 4 February 2022

What is your role and where do you work? I am Head of Public Services at Zurich Municipal. What is your expertise, specialism or main area of interest? Local government

Wednesday 2 February 2022

September 2021 saw a change in the law around how looked after child placements and the associated statutory provisions are to be dealt with. Enacted on 9 September 2021

Wednesday 26 January 2022

This article is a plea to councils to ensure that lawyers and advocates instructed to appear in family courts are aware of case law in failure to remove cases. Our

Thursday 20 January 2022

Developing an enterprise risk management framework is relatively straightforward to implement, the work starts with embedding it. There are various publications and

Monday 17 January 2022

In preparation for drafting our Business Plan, the ALARM Board met in late September 2021 to review activity and progress over the previous two years, most of which has

Wednesday 22 December 2021

Data protection has moved to the top of the risk register, both in terms of regulatory and legal liability and reputational fallout. Civil data breach claims tend to be

Wednesday 15 December 2021

Public and business awareness of mental health issues was already on an established upward trajectory ahead of the pandemic; the sudden transition to remote working in

Tuesday 14 December 2021

There is no denying that the last two years have been challenging and, in terms of the Scottish legal world, it has not always been easy to keep the wheels of justice

Tuesday 2 November 2021

COP26, taking place in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November, is a once in a generation opportunity for global leaders to change our destiny. We await the outcomes from

Thursday 28 October 2021

The annual ALARM Scotland Conference took place earlier this week. As delegates from as far afield as Shetland and London flew in, a fresh breeze of hope for new times

Wednesday 13 October 2021

In conjunction with ALARM, chaired by Louise Bedford , Kennedys’ occupational disease specialists provide a round-up on hot topics affecting local authorities and public

Thursday 16 September 2021

How many bed bugs does it take to make a flat unfit to live in? Some of the classic cases on fitness for human habitation involved judges pondering this interesting

Monday 6 September 2021

The Building Safety Bill  (the Bill) was introduced to the House of Commons on 5 July 2021, four years after the tragic events of Grenfell, with the expectation that it

Monday 23 August 2021

The higher education (HE) sector has experienced a fundamental cultural shift in recent years with students viewing themselves as consumers. This has brought an

Tuesday 10 August 2021

The pandemic and its societal impacts, along with recent changes to legislation and regulation, have altered the profile of fraudulent claims. Public sector bodies

Tuesday 27 July 2021

Luton Borough Council successfully defend motorcyclist claim on issues of causation and Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 in a High Court liability trial. Background

Monday 19 July 2021

As I am writing this I am on my last day of self-isolation following an escape to foreign shores, where it was lovely to see and feel the sun every day. It was a working

Tuesday 13 July 2021

The balance between work and home life can be difficult to manage, especially for workers in health and social care, where there is often a requirement for services to

Tuesday 29 June 2021

As we emerge from the crisis phase of the pandemic, the promised ‘green recovery’ is increasing in pace, with new initiatives from public service organisations as part

Wednesday 16 June 2021

Ofsted’s report following the rapid review of sexual harassment in schools and colleges in April 2021 was published on 10 June 2021. It identifies sexual harassment and

Tuesday 15 June 2021

We are delighted to relaunch our Risk management toolkit , in partnership with Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk adviser. We are pleased to offer this

Thursday 10 June 2021

New freedoms and the COVID-19 vaccination rollout are prompting employees and employers to consider if, how, and when to return to the workplace. Over the past 14 months

Tuesday 8 June 2021

What is your role and where do you work? I am John Shaftoe, Managing Director of Maven Public Sector; I head up our team of specialists and liaise with our insurer

Friday 4 June 2021

Recent High Court judgments in the social care sector provide helpful guidance to councils and their insurers responding to claims alleging ‘failure to remove’. These

Thursday 3 June 2021

If landlords have not yet reverted to their full repairs programme, I would strongly recommend steps are taken to do so urgently. The first national lockdown announced

Wednesday 19 May 2021

With the high numbers of COVID-19-related deaths in care homes, health and social care providers may be vulnerable to future legal action. Anthony will explore how the

Wednesday 12 May 2021

The current challenging market conditions have led to insurers taking extra steps to validate claims. Insurers have been asking questions and seeking information that

Monday 10 May 2021

It has been a tough year for all of us, and for the ALARM Wales Branch this has meant postponement of our usual seminars. The good news is that we are planning to hold

Thursday 6 May 2021

The waste management sector is one of the most challenging in the UK insurance market. Waste management is an essential public service for all of us, with Government

Thursday 29 April 2021

A person suspected of breaching COVID-19 regulations is not required by law to give the police their name and address, a recent appeal ( Neale v DPP [2021]) has ruled.

Monday 26 April 2021

Effective risk management is critical to ensure an organisation maintains its services, progresses towards achieving its strategic aims, and provides assurance it is

Thursday 15 April 2021

Heralded as the commuter tool of the future – e-scooters can be viewed as an efficient and environmentally friendly way of travelling short distances, easing pressure on

Monday 12 April 2021

The ALARM Scotland Branch have held their first seminar of 2021: Concurrency, Resilience and Reflection . We heard from excellent speakers on how the Scottish public

Friday 9 April 2021

The roots of the Everyone’s Invited movement were in the independent school sector, but according to the testimonies, education establishments up to university level

Thursday 8 April 2021

Burgoynes has seen a marked increase in fires associated with cannabis cultivation during the pandemic. While the trend is not fully understood, it may be the result of

Thursday 1 April 2021

Ransomware attacks have become one of the biggest cyber threats to all organisations. In 2020 and 2021 there have been a spate of attacks targeting councils. The

Thursday 25 March 2021

Care must be taken that policies mandating the use of face coverings do not infringe the rights of those unable to wear them due to a physical or mental illness,

Tuesday 23 March 2021

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing sector already had a challenging agenda in relation to risk management and managing change with the consequences of Grenfell,

Thursday 18 March 2021

Public service organisations should take action now to prepare for a massive change in how low value RTA whiplash claims are handled before the Whiplash Reforms ( Civil

Tuesday 16 March 2021

HXA v Surrey County Council [2021] is one of the latest decisions to consider the arguments and lack of clarity on the position on liability in ‘failure to remove’ cases

Wednesday 10 March 2021

Matthew Suddards, Fire Investigator and James May, Materials Engineer at Burgoynes provide an overview of fires caused by maintenance work on buildings and maintenance

Thursday 4 March 2021

In response to member queries, ALARM contacted the Association of British Insurers (ABI) for an update on issues of care home insurance resulting from the pandemic. The

Tuesday 2 March 2021

In R (on the application of Norman) v Chelmsford Crown Court & The Chief Constable of Essex Police (2020) the Court considered the lawfulness of the arrest of a

Wednesday 24 February 2021

Following the inquest into the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, who died following an asthma attack, a coroner recorded air pollution as a contributory factor to the death.

Thursday 11 February 2021

Risk and insurance managers have an important part to play in identifying the significant impacts of the array of issues on the sustainability agenda and advising how

Wednesday 3 February 2021

Increased remote working, greater dependence on IT platforms for service delivery and increased activity by cyber criminals are creating the perfect storm. This has led

Thursday 28 January 2021

Reduced damages for whiplash type injuries and an increase in the small claims track limit for personal injury from road traffic accidents (to £5,000) are due to be

Wednesday 20 January 2021

Wilkes v (1) Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (2) North Yorkshire County Council BLM successfully defended a claim against the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Tuesday 12 January 2021

Very little about 2020 could be considered normal, compared with the world as it was and the lives that we led pre-March 2020. The health, prosperity and welfare of the

Friday 8 January 2021

The UK and EU Free Trade Deal (the Deal) came into effect at 23:00 GMT on 31 December 2020. The Deal is now firmly enshrined into UK domestic law by virtue of the

Tuesday 15 December 2020

Under certain operating conditions the design of some models of domestic gas cookers manufactured by Arçelik and sold in the UK and Ireland by BEKO and Glenn Dimplex

Wednesday 9 December 2020

With the growing number of large and complex fire claims, Zurich Municipal are concerned about the impact the losses have upon the wellbeing of the individuals and

Thursday 26 November 2020

A Sport England Active Lives Survey in October 2019 reported that approximately 100,000 more people were cycling for leisure and sport than in 2018, taking the total to

Monday 9 November 2020

Although COVID-19 Lockdown Two and the US elections are headline news, Brexit is still rumbling on in the background. Urgent negotiations continue between the UK and the

Tuesday 13 October 2020

It depends... The Commercial Court has given its judgment in the business insurance (BI) test case initiated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The judgment

Tuesday 6 October 2020

Climate change is never far from the news. For large landowners like councils, it presents a range of challenges, not least more frequent heavy rainfall leading to more

Monday 28 September 2020

Along with most colleagues I have been working from home since March. I was already working flexibly so I did not think it would be too much of a challenge to work from

Wednesday 23 September 2020

In this webinar Hugh Morris, Risk Management Consultant at Gallagher, provides a basic introduction to business continuity management (BCM). Hugh explores definitions of

Thursday 17 September 2020

The pandemic has been unprecedented in its natures and impact across the world; it has also affected inquests in England and Wales. With almost four months of curtailed

Wednesday 2 September 2020

In our latest webinar, Andrew Steel, Partner at Plexus Law, provides analysis of three important areas relating to civil actions against the police. The first considers

Thursday 20 August 2020

We are pleased to invite you to ALARM's first ever virtual conference featuring a suite of live sessions (via Zoom) over two days. Over the past decade public service

Wednesday 19 August 2020

The need to be adaptive, agile and resilient has been much talked about during COVID-19. The experience of COVID-19 have placed many organisations, workforces and

Wednesday 5 August 2020

Insuring buildings and contents for blue light organisations is a relatively straightforward proposition. The challenges arise when insurers are asked to insure speed

Wednesday 22 July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed every aspect of our lives from our working environments, to our personal relationships. As a result, there is a new wave of

Thursday 16 July 2020

Rishi Sunak’s Summer Economic Update elicited bouquets and brickbats from housing sector representatives. The Summer Economic Update, announced recently, was a response

Thursday 9 July 2020

COVID-19 and subsequent requirements for social distancing, and regulations around travel and staff absences, have brought fresh challenges to those working in children’

Monday 6 July 2020

It gives me great pleasure to introduce myself - to those of you that do not know me - as ALARM’s new President, as Wayne’s tenure comes to an end. I would like to

Wednesday 1 July 2020

Social media is an evolving environment and is fast becoming a regular feature in our everyday lives, in a personal and professional capacity. The greater use of social

Monday 22 June 2020

I feel it’s important we regularly remind ourselves of the value risk management brings to an organisation - particularly during these challenging times. Risk management

Wednesday 17 June 2020

Cyber crime is an ever-changing landscape where criminals have access to more tools than ever. In our latest webinar, Johnty Mongan, Cyber Risk Consultant at Gallagher

Monday 8 June 2020

I was due to run the Manchester Marathon in early April. As the big day approached, I found myself worrying about things that seem laughable now. I worried about the

Wednesday 3 June 2020

Amidst the global pandemic, climate change is a key issue still effecting our citizens, communities and public service organisations. Following the UK Government

Friday 15 May 2020

David Mayor, Partner at Forbes Solicitors discusses essential COVID-19 protection measures for owners and operators of construction sites. How do you fit a window or

Monday 11 May 2020

I find myself sharing this blog from a very different place in my organisation to normal. I carry the resilience lead for Dundee City Council, as well as running some

Tuesday 5 May 2020

Another long bank holiday weekend approaches and decisions have to be made on managing public spaces. Park use during COVID-19 restrictions has become an ongoing topic,

Monday 27 April 2020

Six months ago, it would have been unimaginable not to be able to socialise with friends, go out to a restaurant, travel to meetings, or travel abroad on holiday. Who

Tuesday 21 April 2020

The Housing Ombudsman Service has published new guidance for landlords on complaint handling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance sets out best practice on engaging

Wednesday 8 April 2020

At ALARM, our main focus is that our members and partners are supported in their roles, whilst ensuring their safety and that of our colleagues and team members. In

Monday 30 March 2020

Whether you are self-isolating, working from home or just social distancing, everyone is going to feel a lot more isolated and vulnerable now we are in lockdown. We need

Wednesday 25 March 2020

The Coronavirus Bill went to the House of Lords on Tuesday and is expected to become legislation by Thursday, triggering a parliamentary recess. The Bill will deal with

Friday 20 March 2020

The upcoming Coronavirus Bill which will be fast tracked through Government, taking effect by the end of March, contains changes to the way public services are delivered

Monday 16 March 2020

Part of my role as Company Secretary of ALARM is to be gatekeeper of the organisation’s governance arrangements. We are all rightly proud that ALARM is an association of

Tuesday 10 March 2020

In this week's Meet the Member we speak to Corrina Young, Risk & Technical Officer at London Borough of Waltham Forest Council and member of the ALARM South East

Monday 2 March 2020

The high-profile media subject of domestic fires has put buildings under scrutiny, as well as raise risk awareness. Fire doesn’t just carry a financial and

Tuesday 25 February 2020

In this week's Meet the Member we speak to Sonal Devani, Risk Management Manager at Leicester City Council and member of the ALARM Midlands Branch Committee. What is

Monday 17 February 2020

I am a keen runner. In April I will be taking part in the Manchester Marathon, and of an evening I can usually be found in the streets of Teesside ticking off miles and

Tuesday 11 February 2020

In this week's Meet the Member we speak to Douglas Mathers, Finance Officer at South Lanarkshire Council and member of the ALARM Scotland Branch Committee. What is your

Friday 7 February 2020

Gallagher and BLM would like to invite you to their joint seminars taking place in London on Tuesday 25 February 2020 and Birmingham on Thursday 12 March 2020. There has

Thursday 30 January 2020

Climate change is now a pressing issue for most councils. According to the LGA, around 230 councils have declared a climate emergency . Councils are taking steps to

Thursday 23 January 2020

Climate change is firmly on society’s agenda and in the news. At the start of a new decade we gather a few of the latest stats and facts on the evidence of increased

Monday 20 January 2020

As we all settle back into work after a well-deserved festive break and plan for the year ahead, we have been planning our 2020 vision here at ALARM. At the December

Tuesday 14 January 2020

In this week's Meet the Member we speak to David Forster, Insurance Claims Handler at Doncaster Council and member of the ALARM North Branch Committee. What is your role

Monday 16 December 2019

ALARM's Blue Light Group is increading in popularity and its events profile important sector risks and issues. The UK continues to face a substantial threat from both

Monday 2 December 2019

Influence executive officers on the relevance of protective controls. As a panel member on how to effectively exert influence within the workplace, at the ALARM Scotland

Monday 4 November 2019

Following the Department for Education (DfE) launching its consultation on extending the academies' risk protection arrangement (RPA) to local authority maintained

Tuesday 22 October 2019

The UK Road Liaison Group’s new code of practice has thrown up challenges for local authorities. The move away from specific guidance on road maintenance to a risk-based

Thursday 17 October 2019

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) expresses its concerns over growing risks for registered housing providers, highlighting a rise in strategic and operational risks

Monday 23 September 2019

The risk of a no deal Brexit remain high. Councils need to be prepared. What are you doing to manage no deal Brexit risks? It is critical councils do everything they can

Monday 12 August 2019

Kennedys are hosting a seminar to review the Scottish redress scheme and the next steps. The seminar is taking place on Monday 9 September at the Sheraton Grand Hotel,

Tuesday 6 August 2019

We are now seeking speakers for the 2020 ALARM Conference. The ALARM Conference is a comprehensive source of information, training, education and network sharing for

Thursday 25 July 2019

As I sit on a packed train, stranded at St Neots station on the hottest day of the year, it hit me that I have fewer than ten days left as the Chair of ALARM. I can’t

Thursday 4 July 2019

Weightmans are delighted to invite you to the national launch of Weightmans Evolve: The Supply Chain of the Future , Weightmans' most comprehensive research report into

Monday 13 May 2019

Are charities investing too little in essential support activities, improving their governance, and managing organisational risks? Holding charities to account Although

Monday 1 April 2019

ALARM is currently seeking nominations for the Board of Directors Are you passionate about helping ALARM develop and grow as the UK's premier public service risk

Friday 29 March 2019

There's not much to celebrate at the moment but one piece of good news caught the attention of ALARM: potholes in local roads are not getting worse! A report on local

Monday 18 March 2019

Now in their 21st successful year, the CIR Business Continuity Awards recognise those business continuity, security, resilience and risk professionals whose innovative

Friday 8 March 2019

Until now Scottish registered social housing providers have not been deemed public authorities for the purpose of the Freedom of information (Scotland) Act 2002 .

Tuesday 26 February 2019

This year ALARM Chair, Chris Walker has chosen to support The Daisy Garland Foundation; a family run, national registered charity, working exclusively with drug-

Friday 8 February 2019

A growing number of local authorities are reportedly struggling to balance the books. Austerity has been with local government for eight years. Many council officers