REPORT TO COMMUNITIES PDG REPORT OF: Principal Democracy Officer REPORT NO: LDS160 DATE : 17 th September 2015 TITLE: Ministry of Justice consultation on the provision of court and tribunal services KEY DECISION OR POLICY FRAMEWORK PROPOSAL: PORTFOLIO Councillor Kelham Cooke – Governance and Communication HOLDER: NAME AND DESIGNATION: CONTACT Jo Toomey – Principal Democracy Officer OFFICER: Tel: 01476 406152 Email: [email protected] Carol Drury – Community Engagement and Policy Development Tel: 01476 406161 Email: [email protected] INITIAL IMP ACT Referred to in paragraph Full impact assessment ANALYSIS: (7) below Required: N/A Equality and Diversity FREEDOM O F This report is publicly available via the Your Council and INFORMATION Democracy link on the Council’s website: ACT: www.southkesteven.gov.uk Page 1 1. RECOMMENDATION 1.1 Communities PDG is asked to consider the Ministry of Justice consultation document and supporting equality impact assessment and put forward advice to assist the response of the portfolio holder on behalf of the Council 2. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT 2.1 The purpose of this report is to give members of Communities PDG background information on the consultation by the Ministry of Justice and proposed court closures that could impact on this District. 3. Details 3.1 The consultation document (appendix A) provided outlines the proposed Court and Tribunal Service closures for the Midlands and is part of a national consultation of the future of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales. 3.2 The consultation document sets out the requirement for changes to the Crown’s estate, the utilisation levels across the estate and the implications for local justice areas. 3.3 Page 5 of the consultation document gives information on access to justice, background information on the determination of which court and tribunial buildings would be put forward for proposed closure and sets out the principles against which the proposals were developed. These include: • Ensuring access to justice • Delivering value for money • Enabling efficiency in the longer term 3.4 The implications for South Kesteven stem from the Ministry of Justice’s proposal to close the Magistrates’ Court in Grantham. Grantham is one of four magistrates’ courts in Lincolnshire. Other courts are located in Lincoln, Boston and Skegness. The consultation document further outlines the proposal to close the court located in Skegness leaving the remaining two magistrates’ courts covering the whole of Lincolnshire. 3.5 Grantham Magistrates’ Court lists criminal and county court work. Full details of services provided, accommodation and workload of Grantham Magistrates’ Court can be found on page 20 of the consultation document (appendix A) 3.5 The proposal of the Ministry of Justice as set out on page 20 of the consultation document is that the workload and resources of Grantham Magistrates’ Court be transferred to Lincoln Magistrates’ Court and Lincoln County Court. 3.6 The consultation asks interested parties to consider 6 questions which are listed on page 42 of the proposal document. 3.6 In responding to the consultation members are asked to note the equality impact assessment prepared by the Ministry of Justice (appendix B). 4. OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED N/A 5. RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS Page 2 5.1 There are potentially some resource implications if it is decided that Grantham Magistrates’ Court will close but this will be limited to travel and officer time. 6. RISK AND MITIGATION Risk has been considered as part of this report and any specific high risks are included in the table below: Category Risk Action / Controls 7. ISSUES ARISING FROM IMPACT ANALYSIS 7.1 The impact assessment has been carried out by the Ministry of Justice and is attached as appendix B 8. CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS N/a 9. COMMENTS OF FINANCIAL SERVICES 9.1 Any comments of financial services will be reported at the meeting 10. COMMENTS OF LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES 10.1 The District Council issues actions in the Courts relating to various services of the Council for example the collection of council tax and rents. Court actions relating to issues in the south of the District will continue to be dealt with by the Peterborough Court. Any response to the consultation should be made as a user of the court service and as a representation of the residents of the district who will be affected by the changes proposed to the provision of the service. 11. COMMENTS OF OTHER RELEVANT SERVICES N/a 12. APPENDICES: Appendix A – Ministry of Justice Consultation Document for the proposal on the provision of court and tribunal services in the Midlands region. Appendix B – Ministry of Justic Impact Assessment on Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service proposals on the provision of cours services in England and Wales Page 3.