LONDON MAGISTRATES' AUTHORITY COMPLETES MAGISTRATES' COURTS COMMITTEE AMALGAMATION PROGRAMME

26 Mar 2001 12:00 AM

''When the new London Magistrates'' Authority takes up its full responsibilities on 1 April 2001, we will be marking the end of one era and the beginning of another,'' said Jane Kennedy, Minister at the Lord Chancellors'' Department.

The Greater London Magistrates'' Courts Authority will replace 22 London Magistrates'' Courts Committees (MCCs), the last amalgamation in a programme to create 42 MCCs to match the boundaries of police forces and Crown Prosecution Service areas.

Speaking at a reception hosted by the new London Magistrates'' Authority, Jane Kennedy said:

''The amalgamation of the 22 London Magistrates'' Courts Committees to form a new, London-wide committee, the Greater London Magistrates'' Courts Authority, marks the end of one era and the beginning of another - not just for London but for the whole Magistrates'' Courts Service.

''On 1 April we will have completed our amalgamation programme, the benefits of which are already being realised by Committees which merged earlier on. These include:

- Reducing delay in the processing and hearing of cases;

- Improving co-ordination and communication with other criminal justice agencies, such as the police and CPS;

- Improving efficiency through economies of scale, greater flexibility to allocate cases to courts and centralising administration;

- Making better use of public money by reducing bureaucracy.

''As a result of these reforms we will have a better and more efficient justice system.''

London is different from other Courts Committees, not just in scale , in the rest of the country, more than half the amalgamations have been between just two neighbouring Committees, but in its constitution. For example, to help ensure close links, given the nature of the capital, the GLMCA has representatives of local authorities and mayoral nominees among its members.

The GLMCA was launched in a shadow form on 14 March 2000 when it started preparing to take over full responsibility for the efficient and effective running of the magistrates'' courts in Greater London on 1 April 2001.

Notes for Editors:

1. The Access to Justice Act 1999 makes provision for the setting up of the GLMCA.

2. The GLMCA is very similar to a traditional MCC. However, due to the particular nature of the capital (particularly its greater size and the number of local authorities) it needs some different arrangements and powers. For example, the GLMCA will be its own ''paying authority'' ie providing its own accommodation, goods, services. This will allow better strategic planning and more efficient use of property. In contrast to all other MCCs which have 12 magistrates, the GLMCA will consist of a maximum of 15 members.

3. The 22 Greater London MCCs to be replaced by the GLMCA are: City of London, Inner London, Barking, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston-upon-Thames, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond-upon-Thames, Sutton and Waltham Forest.

4. The members of the GLMCA are:

Local Authority Category Narinder Singh Matharoo JP Cllr Derek Sawyer

Distrct Judge Magistrates Court Category Stephen Dawson DJMC (ie a stipendiary magistrate)

Magistrates'' Category Prof. Brian Gomes da Costa JP Haringey Charles Lowe JP Bromley Mr Clive Amos JP Dr Patrick Davies JP South East (Inner London) Mrs Elizabeth Hurst JP North Westminster (Inner London) Brian Ward Lilley JP South Central (Inner London) Dr Malcolm Cohen JP Barnet Mrs Yvonne Constance JP South Westminster (Inner London) Mrs Lesley White JP Barnet Mr Derek Sayer JP

Mayoral Nominees Mrs Mary Stacey Ms Cordell Pillay