INTRODUCTION – DAVID ALCOCK

INTRODUCTION

18 January was this year’s ‘Blue Monday’, the day which is popularly asserted to be the most depressing day of the year, due to post Christmas debt, long dark nights, and the annual failure to keep bold new year resolutions.

This year that is overlaid with a new national lockdown and the ongoing stress of the pandemic, alongside uncertainty about how the new Brexit deals will pan out in practice. As we review the tumultuous events of last year and consider the future, it would be entirely understandable if there was a collective desire to retreat under the duvet and wait it out. We also have to acknowledge that lawyers, like everyone else, have proved poor at future predictions – especially those made in January 2020.

Nevertheless, a group of Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS) experts from across our various client sectors have gazed into their crystal ball and given us a view on how 2021 is looking in housing, charities, social care, local government, and social business. We can see some key themes likely to emerge over the next 12 months.

Many of the uncertainties over the Brexit process were resolved in the deal eventually concluded on Christmas Eve. Whilst the agreement avoided the ‘cliff-edge’ of a no-deal Brexit that many had feared, the UK has still left the EU single market and the customs union, and the free movement of people, goods and services has come to an end.

For clients of this firm, many will be interested in what will happen around public procurement and what was called state aid, now referred to in the Brexit agreement as ‘subsidy control’. Our technical briefing will follow in the next few days for those who want to understand the detail! The worlds of work and retail seem unlikely to return to ‘normal’ even once it is safe for us to mingle again. As Olwen Brown and Emma Watt both explore in their respective pieces, this leaves both a challenge and an opportunity around town and city centres, and our clients – local authorities, social enterprises, and housing associations among others – will surely be at the heart of rethinking what a town centre is for.

Across the sectors we serve there is both a recognition of the impact of the pandemic, but also the remarkable resilience of our clients and those they work with. Do have a look, and more importantly, tell us if you recognise our thoughts from where you sit. One of the things we have appreciated about the last 10 months has been the engagement we have had electronically with our clients and contacts; we enjoy feedback and conversation!

And finally – we do wish you a happy, prosperous, fairer and greener 2021. Despite where we might have found ourselves on Blue Monday, there are reasons to be optimistic about the new year. We look forward to supporting you on the journey.

David Alcock Partner, social business sector lead 0121 212 7431 david.alcock@anthonycollins.com