Hundreds of families in Staffordshire are waiting for inquests. The delays are causing immense grief and frustration for those seeking closure after losing loved ones.
The coroner service is overwhelmed, with 281 cases overdue. Some have been pending for more than a year. It’s a tough situation for everyone involved.
To tackle this, local councils have agreed to a £519,000 funding boost. This money will help hire new coroners and support staff. It’s a step in the right direction.
The joint coroners committee had delayed the funding decision earlier. They wanted to ensure a solid business case was presented. Now, they feel confident about the need for extra funds.
Acting senior coroner Emma Serrano shared that they’ve made some progress. They’ve hired more assistant coroners to help with the workload. But this isn’t a long-term solution.
Emma expressed concerns about the budget. They’re on track to overspend by £104,000 this year. The increased use of assistant coroners is a big factor in this.
Staffordshire has a unique challenge with complex inquests. The county has eight prisons, leading to many jury inquests. Currently, there are 27 prison inquests, with 15 needing a jury.
These jury inquests can take a lot of time, sometimes weeks. Emma believes that if they didn’t have this issue, the current budget would suffice.
The funding request includes money for extra staffing to tackle the backlog. The county council will cover most of the costs, with the city council contributing as well.
Committee members are eager for results. Councillor Victoria Wilson praised the hard work being done. She’s curious about the situation a year from now.
Emma aims to reduce the backlog significantly. She wants to ensure only cases with valid reasons exceed the time limit.
