The Tribunal gave judgment following a hearing on 15 April 2026 concerning two related proceedings brought against Durham County Council: a claim under the Competition Act 1998 and an application for review under section 70 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022. The claims concerned regeneration funding and related grants for projects in Bishop Auckland.
As regards the Competition Act claim, the Tribunal refused the claimants’ application to amend and struck out the claim in the hearing. The claimants had sought to amend their claim form as per the second amended claim form. However, reliance on the second amended claim form was abandoned in the hearing. The Tribunal rejected the claimants’ request for a further opportunity to amend the claim form and therefore granted the defendant’s application to strike out the claim.
As regards the subsidy claim, the Tribunal held that it had no jurisdiction to review the proposed grants because Durham County Council had not yet taken a final decision to grant either subsidy. The Tribunal concluded that section 70 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 applies only once a formal, final decision to give a subsidy has been taken. The subsidy claim was therefore also struck out.
