Index Number:
No. 26.1
Document:
Family Justice Board Minutes – 13
December 2013
Description:
The local family justice board minutes from
the last six months
Meeting of the Northumbria and North Durham Local Family
Justice Board
Date and time: Friday 13th December 2013 at 9:00 am
Venue: Judicial Dining Room, Newcastle Combined Court Centre
Attendees
Graeme Goldsmith
Carole Goodman
Allison Cook
HHJ Moir
DJ Loomba
Debra Galloway
Lynne Hodgson
Susan McMahon
Stephen Forster
Bryan Vernon
Glynn Lister
Elspeth Thomson
M Henderson
Carol Robson
Jennifer Brooks
Sarah Hutton
Laura Ronn
Shona Gallagher
Sarah-Jane Robinson
Sarah Woolrich
Katrina Pescott
Angela Glenn
HMCTS
Cafcass
HMCTS
HMCTS
HMCTS
HMCTS
HMCTS
HMCTS
HMCTS
Lay member
Justice of the Peace – Northumbria
David Gray and Co
Local Authority – Newcastle Upon Tyne
Local Authority – Northumberland
Local Authority – South Tyneside
Action for Children
Local Authority – South Tyneside
Local Authority – Gateshead
Dere Street Barristers
Swinburne and Jackson
Local Authority – North Tyneside
Apologies
Cath McEvoy
Kay Graham
Nick Stoner
Claire Davies
Adele O’Brien
District Judge Hardy
Justin Gray
Joanna Bonar
Mark Gurney
Kelsey Clayton
Local Authority – North Tyneside
HMCTS
Trinity Barristers
Ben Hoare Bell
Local Authority – Gateshead
HMCTS
Trinity Barristers
Local Authority – Sunderland
Local Authority – Durham
Local Authority – Durham
Actions from previous meeting
ACTION: Allison Cook to obtain written guidance on mediation from the President.
Performance
Private Law – averaging 25.5 weeks there remains some concern in relation South Tyneside
whereby formal work is to be undertaken.
Public Law – averaging 40.8 weeks for Northumbria and is improving every month. 80% of
cases in Newcastle concluded within 26 weeks.
Outstanding cases from 2012
There are 15 Public Law cases in total outstanding, 6 have final hearings in January and one
in February.
ACTION: HMCTS to look at all cases that are over 26 weeks to see if any progress ca be
made.
Local Family Justice Board Action Plan
Local Authority Work Strand : Debra Galloway will lead on the Local Authority Action
Plans, an update will be provided at next meeting.
Cafcass Work Strand: Carol Goodman advised that the bid had been put in for the preproceedings pilot on Private Law which will provide advice and alternatives to litigants in
person before coming to court. It is envisaged that by the 16/12/13 it will be known who
will run the pilot. It is envisaged this will start in February for a period of three months.
ACTION: Carole Goodman to arrange HMCTS/Cafcass Performance Meeting
HMCTS Work Strand: Allison Cook advised that the implementation of the Single Family
Court for Public Law had been a success, Donna Stafford, Public Law Team Leader, is to
issue a document to the board members.
ACTION: Debra Galloway to provide report for next meeting
ACTION: Donna Stafford to produce Public Law Report for the next meeting
Private Law Streamlining Project
Lynne Hodgson is the lead for the project, initially working with Northumberland and South
Tyneside Local Authorities they will map the current and future states with the first event
being on 16/12/13. Regular updates in relation to how this is progressing will be provided
at every Local Family Justice Board meeting.
Carol Goodman advised that a judicial representative is needed for the Performance subgroup.
ACTION: DJ Loomba to consider judicial representation on Project Board.
ACTION: Lynne Hodgson to provide project updates at each meeting.
Private Law Child Arrangements
Susan McMahon advised the board that the consultation ends in January and that
Northumbria and North Durham will meet in early January to discuss the points of entry for
new cases as well as there being a greater emphasis on mediation and out of court
discussions. Regarding the flow of the work, there has been no actual time limit given for
Private Law cases but there is a view that low-risk cases will be resolved within 5 weeks.
HHJ Moir informed the board of anticipated difficulties due to the majority of Private Law
cases being in person. Any recommedations will be forwarded to the President.
Police Disclosure
HHJ Moir advised that the national protocol is drawn from good practise following
consultations no difficulties have been highlighted which will be passed to the President.
Future meetings
All meetings will be held in the Judicial Dining Room at Newcastle Combined Court Centre.
Meetings will take place bi-monthly on the last Wednesday of the month, please see below:
26th February 2014
30th April 2014
25th June 2014
27th August 2014
29th October 2014
31st December 2014
AOB
ACTION: Graeme Goldsmith to send the document regarding Ipsos Mori the research
being carried out to the board members.
ACTION: Allison Cook to consider proposal in relation to litigants in person following
suggestions and feedback from Bryan Vernon and Sarah Woolrich
ACTION: Carole Goodman to arrange attendance from Family Justice Young People’s
Board at this board every three months.