Lawyers fight plans for case-worker trials
Barristers begin an offensive today over plans to allow nonlawyers to conduct
magistrates’ courts trials (Frances Gibb writes).
The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, is urging
peers to oppose a key provision of the Criminal Justice and Immigration
Bill, which is being considered in the Lords.
The Law Society, on behalf of solicitors in England and Wales, is also opposed
to measures that extend the powers of nonlegal Crown Prosecution Service
staff (designated case-workers) to conduct cases before magistrates
including minor assaults, driving offences and theft.
Sir Ken Macdonald, the Director of Public Prosecutions, says the move will
free CPS lawyers to concentrate on Crown Court cases. But barristers and
solicitors fear that case workers will not be properly trained and standards
will be put at risk.
Retirement brings council staff crisis
Town halls will suffer staffing crises over the next few years because a third
of the workforce are due to retire, according to a report (Jill Sherman
writes).
The New Local Government Network said that councils are dominated by older
people, mainly men, many of whom will draw their pensions within the next
five to ten years.
The think-tank also claims that the profession is failing to attract
graduates, with most choosing to work in other parts of the public sector.
Its report backs the introduction of a “transfer-fee” style system where
town halls are rewarded if they offer staff training by receiving a fee if
people move to another authority.
Salmond aiming for Commons whip hand
Alex Salmond, the Scottish First Minister, has set his party the target of
winning 20 Commons seats at the next general election, giving them the
potential to hold the balance of power and make “Westminster dance to a
Scottish jig” (Angus Macleod writes).
The leader of the Scottish National Party told its spring conference that such
a bloc of MPs, 14 more than the party has at present, could hold the whip
hand over the next next government.
While the SNP would not consider a coalition, Mr Salmond said that such a
presence in the Commons would exert influence and bring an end to what he
said was “unreasonable behaviour” towards his administration.
Race chief warns of an ethnic ‘cold war’
Uncontrolled immigration has led to a “cold war” between ethnic communities,
according to the head of the race watchdog.
Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said
that there was a risk of increasing racism among professional people. His
concerns came in a speech to mark the 40th anniversary of Enoch Powell’s
“rivers of blood” speech. Mr Phillips said that, while Powell’s dire
predictions had not come true, the influx had worrying effects. He said: “We
have seen the emergence of a kind of cold war in some parts of the country,
where separate communities exist side by side . . . with poor communication
across racial or religious lines.”
3.4m are claiming long-term benefit
Almost 3.4 million people have been claiming benefits for more than two years,
figures from the Department for Work and Pensions reveal, and the number of
long-term claimants has risen by more than 250,000 since 1999. The number of
18 to 24-year-olds claiming for more than two years has risen by almost 40
per cent since 1999 to more than 200,000. The worst blackspot is Merthyr
Tydfil, South Wales, where one in five has been claiming for more than two
years. The benefits claimed include incapacity benefit, severe disablement
allowance, income support and jobseeker’s allowance. Chris Grayling, Shadow
Work and Pensions Secretary said: “Some of these figures are truly
shocking.”
Meningitis success
A vaccination programme led to no children dying last year from meningitis C,
the potentially deadly strain of the bacterial infection. David Salisbury,
director of immunisations at the Department of Health, said that the
campaign introduced in 1999, had led to a “phenomenal” decline in cases of
the meningococcus type C bacteria in under19s. MenC previously killed up to
78 young people a year, causing brain damage and amputations in survivors.
Only a vaccination against the B-strain of the disease – which kills about
180 people in Britain every year – remains elusive.
Olympics benefits
London’s poorest residents in the Lower Lea Valley may miss out on the
economic benefits of the 2012 Olympics, a report by the New Economics
Foundation and Community Links suggests. The benefits will be enjoyed by big
business and developers instead, says the report, which recommends a plan to
guarantee long-term local benefits. It includes breaking contracts into
smaller packages accessible to local businesses.
Only 11 per cent of 500 awarded contracts, worth £1 billion, have gone to
companies within the five Olympic boroughs, it says.
Scout numbers soar
Pursuits such as snowboarding and sandwich-making are credited with helping
Scout membership rise at the fastest rate for more than 20 years.
Numbers have risen by 15,000 in the last 12 months. The recruitment
represented a 3.7 per cent increase in youth membership and a 1.7 per cent
increase in adult membership. The total of children and young people, girls
and boys, who are Scouts in Britain is more than 465,000.
In January the Scouts Association introduced 40 new badges. They included
healthy eating, parascending and quad bike riding.
Police chief cleared
A former police chief will not face charges after an investigation into
allegations of computer misuse and financial irregularities. Terry Grange
stepped down as Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police last November. The
investigation file has been passed to Dyfed-Powys Police Authority.
Pub blast injures 8
An explosion caused by an aerosol can being thrown on a fire at a busy pub
left eight people needing treatment in hospital. Three men were arrested
after the “minor” incident at the White Hart Pub in Ashbourne, Derbyshire,
police said. The injured were taken to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary.
Murder charge
A man will appear before Basildon magistrates charged with murdering a
homeless man whose body was found in a disused Scout hut. Paul Tobin, 38,
from Basildon, Essex, is alleged to have murdered Mark Woodley, 45, who was
found dead in Kingswood Park, Basildon, on Wednesday.
Class actors
Millions of Britons who consider themselves to be middle class have a
lifestyle and earnings little better than the working class, according to a
new study. Moneysupermarket.com said that 15 million people, or 25 per cent
of the population, were in denial of their true status, which they covered
up with debt.
Derby match death
A man aged 20 was arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was knocked down
by a car after Aston Villa’s victory over their local rivals. The dead man,
aged 26, was hit near Villa’s Birmingham ground, shortly after a 5-1 defeat
of Birmingham City. West Midlands Police appealed for witnesses.
