Comment :
Tribunals Service sets out its blueprint for reform
(July 2007)
The Tribunals Service has published its strategic and business plan for 2007-2008 – 'Delivering the future: one system, one service'. Chief Executive, Peter Handcock, outlines what his organisation plans to achieve in the years ahead.
'Delivering the future: one system, one service' sets out, for the first time and in one place, the blueprint on how we in the Tribunals Service (TS) will deliver our vision of an efficient, independent and user focused service.
This Strategy drives forward the intentions of both Sir Andrew Leggatt's report 'Tribunals for users: one system, one service' and the Government's subsequent White Paper 'Transforming public services: complaints, redress and tribunals'.
It will see us move from a service administering 27 very different central government tribunals to one providing unified support to a radically simplified tribunal structure.
It aims to sweep away unnecessarily rigid distinctions and bureaucracy between tribunals and create a system in which dispute resolution can be delivered speedily and conveniently for users. The need to ensure users can exercise their right to justice, and seek effective solutions to their problems, must be at the heart of all our work.
The new structure will continue to recognise that tribunal users have different needs. Each tribunal was established around its own piece of law. Tribunals will continue to be appropriately specialised to ensure justice is delivered and customers' needs are met.
TS did not publish a strategic plan in its first year as we needed time to take stock and consider the options available to us. This has given us the opportunity to develop this Strategy, focusing on four main areas: the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement (TCE) Bill; a multi-jurisdictional business model; a new regional management structure; and securing funding.
Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill
The Bill, which is nearing the end of its passage through Parliament, will create a new, simplified statutory framework for tribunals, bringing existing tribunals together and providing a structure for new jurisdictions and new appeal rights.
While the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal will remain outside the new framework, the reforms will make it easier for judiciary and staff to work more flexibly across different tribunals. In particular, the tribunal judiciary will be brought together under the leadership of the Senior President of Tribunals.
The Bill also replaces the Council on Tribunals with the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, which will have a broader remit covering the administrative justice system.
New business model
As readers of the last edition of Adjust will know, we're planning to introduce a new network of high quality hearing centres. Around 40 of these will be in major towns and cities and will be capable of hosting a wide variety of tribunals. These will make more services available to the public at a single venue. These will be complemented by a range of channels providing localised access where necessary to meet the needs of users, such as the greater use of video links.
Six administrative support centres will also be created to provide effective back office case administration for tribunals and allow the creation of more efficient and effective common IT platforms.
New management structure
A single, regional management structure is currently being created to drive forward and manage the new model, promote consistent customer services across jurisdictions and to avoid management duplication. It will be supported by leaner corporate service teams and a higher proportion of staff in frontline posts.
Funding
We have secured funding to enable the initial investment and subsequent efficiencies to be delivered. By 2011 we expect to deliver savings to taxpayers of £55 million, based on an investment of £27 million over the same period.
Other areas
The Strategy also outlines our plans in other areas including developing more proportional dispute resolution schemes; encouraging better decision making by the departments being appealed against, improving customer service and providing better IT to benefit both staff and users. 'Delivering the future' also includes our Business Plan for 2007-08, setting out what we intend to achieve this financial year.
Looking forward
Further work is now taking place to develop a detailed delivery plan for 2008-2011 with the associated governance arrangements. My intention is to publish this later in the year.