Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report detailing the proposal to appoint Mr Paul Bennett as Acting Senior Coroner for the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire Jurisdiction following the resignation of Mr Mark Layton as of 31^st May, 2020.

It was noted that each respective Council in conjunction with the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor/Ministry of Justice, had a legal obligation to ensure that the jurisdiction had in place effective coroner service arrangements that were adequately resourced.

However, with the appointment of an interim solution, under the Coroner and Justice Act 2009, the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor’s Department / Ministry of Justice required each respective Council to first consider whether the jurisdiction should be amalgamated with another Coroner area before a permanent Senior Coroner appointment was made.

Consent to appoint a permanent Senior Coroner would not be given until the issue of amalgamation of coroner areas was fully considered, resulting in the need for an interim appointment.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to:

6.1       Approve the temporary appointment on 1 June 2020 of Mr Paul Bennett as Acting Senior Coroner for the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire Jurisdiction.

6.2       Authorise the necessary steps required to address the issue of amalgamation of the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire Coroner Area with another Coroner Area as required and in accordance with the directions of the Chief Coroner, Lord Chancellor/Ministry of Justice.