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.

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