ITEM CM5 - ANNEX 1COMMUNITY SAFETY SCRUTINY COMMITTEEMINUTES of the meeting held on 5 February 2007 commencing at 10.00 am and finishing
at 12:30 pm. 46/06 CORONERS COURT UPDATE (Agenda Item 11) At the last meeting of this Committee Councillors Charles
Mathew and Lesley Legge had been tasked with undertaking some initial
research into the Coroners’ Court, to look into the Members of the Committee had before them a short briefing
note produced by Councillors Mathew and Legge which set out their basic
research to date on the Coroner’s Members of the Committee were asked to decide whether or not to pursue any further investigation into this area. Councillors Mathew and Legge reported as follows:
· the Service was responsible for Inquests into unexplained deaths and for Department for Constitutional Affairs and Treasure Trove;
·
There was an enormous backlog
of work · due to the impending changes in personnel, it would be convenient to review the responsibilities, organisation and costs of the service and their allocation at this time; and urged the Committee to approve further investigation.
Mr Chris Mitchell (Proper Coroner’s Representative) commented that the Coroner’s officers were under considerable pressure to clear the backlog of work and that he wished the review to be delayed until March 2007 when it was anticipated that the backlog to May 2006 would have been cleared. The Committee AGREED: (a) to undertake a review into the Coroner’s Court; and
(b)
to appoint Councillor Marilyn
Badcock to the Review Panel (joining Councillors Lesley Legge and Charles
Mathew).
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