Courts Boards - Responses to Consultation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Public Bodies Bill: reforming the public bodies of the Ministry of Justice Courts Boards - responses to consultation Published 23 April 2012 Courts Boards - responses to consultation On-line questionnaire responses: 1. Anonymous 2. Anonymous 3. A Magistrate 4. Chris Bell 5. John Lawrence Carter 6. Edward Clarke 7. Stephen Pope 8. Martyn Weller 9. Brendan Fulham 10. Alex Cosgrove 11. Sheila Carmen Charles 12. Anonymous 13. Ray Palmer 14. Gareth Davies 15. Susan A Khan 16. Nicholas Moss Other responses: 1. Derek Bacon 2. Mencap 3. Magistrates’ Association 4. Kent, Surrey & Sussex Courts Board 5. Law Society 6. Local Government Group 7. Durham Constabulary and Durham Police Authority These are 16 responses submitted using the online questionnaire that was available on the MoJ website believe that there are any functions Question 7: Do of the Courts the proposals Boards that will not have any ID be adequately Question 6: In your opinion significant covered following how can local courts and direct impact on Conta the proposed tribunals reinforce the link you (if so, If so, please ct Represe Courts Boards Question 4. What are your views on the proposed abolition and Please state what these are and between them and the local please explain explain the Date of Contact Detail Contact ntative of abolition of the Courts Boards? suggested future your reasons. community? the impact)? impact: Name Position response Details Contact Details s Details a group? If propelry maanged courts listing decision should be made in a johnbmcr might open longer M14 1 Is rubbish and provides cover for vested interests to do nothing Yes cross CJS forum to make them as via the LCJB Yes Public 15-07-11 9 Moon Grove @gmail.co deal with more 5HE efficient aspossilbe m case and cost the public less money I still believe that citizens need The proposal has to be adviced and to feel that a slight impact on their voice has been heard. me because I am Sometimes it depends on how It all depends on the alternative not sure which site the information is been approaches that are in place to liaise to go to when I divulgated when considering with magistrates and local need to get the citizens that come from a communities and gather feedback information I diversity of cultures and from users. I believe an Impact usually use to gain backgrounds. At times it is the Assessment is still needed even if the by going on the case to simplify the use of proposal to abolish does not impact on Juth Justice technical words in order to As HMCTS is committed to building and maintaining links with local business, civil society or on regulatory Board, as I work reinforce the link to the wider communities, and local areas I am interested to know what are the matters. This is because Her Majesty's with a group of 2 Yes majority. Anyway I think that, if Yes other options that have been explored to ensure the link between Courts and Tribunals Service was only young man who the advisory function provided courts and local communities is not lost. created on 1 April 2011 and it is still in are excluded from by the Courts Board has been the process to develop its own mainstream replaced by alternative approaches to working with the wider education and who approaches in place to liaise community and to provide more local come from a very with magistrates and local accountability. It has not been proven deprived socio- communities and gather effective yet, that it will offer more economic feedback from users, like flexibility to adapt to changing background and activities such as customer circumstances. who are ex- satisfaction surveys, open days offenders or with and court user meetings there high risk of will not be an hindrance to the offending. process. 15th July 3 None Magistrate 2011 SHERGROUP HOUSE, FREEPORT The measures suggested at CHRIS POLICY 19 JULY CM77 4 I have no objection to their abolition. No No SHERGROUP OFFICE paragraph 44 are all worthy. BELL ADVISOR 2011 8YG VILLAGE, BRAINTREE, ESSEX Avon & Somerset Independent scrutiny of court , Devon & administration will be lost: almost all Cornwall I recognise the need for Ministry of Justice to make savings but the public bodies have some form of By retaining a body similar to As a Courts Board and Courts Board represent good value for money since they are low external scrutiny by public Courts Boards where members Chair I will lose my Gloucest cost. They provide a system of external scrutiny to the administration representatives. There is no evidence are appointed from the local role. This would ershire of courts services and have successfully held area directors to of this being provided for following the area to work and liaise with not be a major Courts account for the management of their role. There is no evidence that abolition of Courts Boards. Community senior managers. This is more issue if I Board: such external scrutiny will exist following the abolition of Courts links: the Courts Board provide an important than ever now that understood that Avon & members Boards. I believe that external scrutiny is an important aspect of efective way for court administrators to courts administrative areas are the key aspects of Somerset, hip public services in England and Wales. Courts Boards have provided hear "the voice" of the local becoming so large with senior John Courts the role of the 1st August Devon & Laggar Cottage, GL6 comprise 5 a way for the local community voice to inflence the provision of court Yes community. There is no provison for managers based remotely. In Yes Lawrence Board Courts Board were 2011 Cornwall and Westrip, Stroud 6HA s three services. Most court users "go through the system" at a time when community links following the abolition my locality there is a single Carter Chair being maintained Gloucestershir magistrat they are at a low ebb or in crisis and cannot provide good consumer of Courts Boards. There has been a delivery director for the whole of by another body or e Courts Board es, three feedback. The Courts Board can provide a more dispassionate and suggestion that magistrates are the South West including structure. communit objective overview of the administration of the courts to ensure volunteers from the community and Hampshire and the Isle of Unfortunately, y users are properly provided for. This is particularly important at a therefore represent it but by definition Wight. They do not have there is no represent time when facilities are being closed and services streamlined and they are not representative of the knowledge of the many local evidence that this atives, there is a danger of public confidence being lost in the legal system. community and become concerned communities and their view on is the case. three There is no evidence that in with their own role rather than the administration of court services. people wider community view on how justic with eis administered ina particular area. knowledg eof the new HMCTS any attempt at community links is being attempted. I will no longer be I believe Courts Board functions will able to access not be properly exercised by any open access user groups, publications of the alternative means particularly in the improved access to and Courts Board; Edward 12 Beach Road WV14 6 opposed to abolition Yes face of financial restrictions. Expertise Yes 19/08/11 publication of reports and diminishes Clarke Wolverhampton 6QF in this area will be lost and confidence information accountability / in the courts reduced. I have no confidence in the confidence in the consultation paper. law Band 6 Team My concerns will be in regard to efficiency and cost effectiveness. Stephen HMYOI\RC Tigers Road, LE18 7 No No Leader 23/09/2011 Will they be impacted on negatively Pope Glen Parva Leicester 4TN (healthcare ) More events such as inside I am an justice week, unfortunately the employer, funding for such events has a charity They have long been a talking shop with few real impacts on the day been withdrawn. We should be Martyn Disability 3 Apple Blossom YO24 trustee 8 No No Trustee to day operation of the courts. much more open the televising Weller Action Court 3HH and also of courts should include all the a proceedings and the mag magistrat courts as well. e Currently being a CB Chair my position will cease.................... By remaining available to a ..however having I believe there needs to be an indeopendant knowledgeable body to I believe the CB does have a local community to listen to the been a JP for over oversee the running of the Courts/Tribunals. Too often those in "standing" amongst the issues of concern to the Courts 30 yrs before I Ministerial positions or Civil Service positions do not, or cannot, see Courts/Tribunal Staff who have come Staff in that locality and stepped down I Courts the issues arising from day to day running requirements of the to trust the unbiased opinion and 23 possibly peculiar only to that believe I have a Brendan Board 9 system because they are unable to see the small picture and thus Yes assistance of the CB to resolve issues Yes September locality which can often be good Fulham Chair fall into the false belief the big picture says all they need to know; of a local nature which frequently 2011 missed or misunderstood by the unbderstanding of (CENS) however it is frequently those who have a day to day hands on become overlooked or remain "City dwellers" in the Civil the system thus experience who listen to and see the needs of the people operating unaddressed by the large Government Service and/or Government enabling me the system.