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Mayor John Biggs and his Statutory Deputy Mayor Sirajul Islam have today called for the greatest flexibility in dealing with cases to restore trust in the coroner service.
They have responded to the consultation on how to prioritise cases by calling for residents to be supported during a time of bereavement, and welcomed the fact that the proposals include reference to the sort of cases that would be prioritised.
Ms Hassell had to abandon the so called “cab rank” policy of dealing with deaths after the High Court case ruled it was discriminatory, and admit she “got it completely wrong” and is now consulting on a new policy.
Mayor Biggs asked for more openness, and the release of statistics on the delays, so the consultation can be properly informed.
Although the boroughs fund the service it is not answerable to them, and in fact it is the boroughs that have had to pick up the court costs following the High Court case. They expressed concern that a formal policy may be open to further challenge.
As well as responding to the policy their response called on other improvements, such as investing in MRI scanners to carry out non-invasive scans and an out of hours service to improve the service to residents.
It also called for the retention of an office in Poplar for residents in Tower Hamlets to access. Tower Hamlets helps fund the inner north London coronial district along with Islington, Camden and Hackney. This stage of the consultation closes today on 1st August, however there will be further stages of consultation before the final process is agreed.
Mayor John Biggs said:
‘’We welcome this consultation as a first step towards restoring confidence in the coroners service. We want to work with the coroner service to ensure that our residents are supported when they suffer a bereavement, we need a service that caters to everyone in our community’’.
Cllr Sirajul Islam, Statutory Deputy Mayor said:
‘’We call on the coroner to be as flexible as possible when dealing with cases, and work with us to develop an out of hours service which we have long called for’’.
