Weightmans LLP

Simon joined Weightmans in February 2013 to head up the Local Government team. Prior to joining Weightmans Simon enjoyed a long and distinguished career in local government law spanning almost two decades.

In 2009, he was appointed Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer of the newly created Cheshire West and Chester Council. This involved the creation of a single authority from four councils and the development.

He has led on significant projects including an innovative housing stock transfer at Wirral Council and on the promotion of a private Act of Parliament. He was awarded the title of Local Government Young Solicitor of the year in 2006. As Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer at Wirral Council, Simon was the lead legal adviser for key projects including regeneration schemes in New Brighton and Birkenhead.

At Weightmans Simon is a go-to adviser for local authorities throughout the country on significant governance and vires issues throughout the country including carrying out independent reviews on sensitive and high profile issues.

He is a leading practitioner on member conduct and has carried out a number of significant investigations on behalf of local authorities into the behaviour of elected members.

He is also a leading expert on local authority constitutions and has led a number of projects to review and rewrite local authorities constitutions.

He is recognised as a leader in the field on the role of the local authority monitoring officer having co-authored the Handbook for Monitoring Officers published with LLG (Lawyers in Local Government)