Regional administrative courts attract only 8% of cases

The new regional administrative courts have attracted only 8% of new cases since they opened six months ago, figures seen by the Gazette have revealed.

In April 2009, the administrative courts began to sit in four regional venues – Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester – to increase access to justice and take the strain off London.

Since then, 729 cases have commenced in the regional courts, 8.4% of all new cases nationally. Of the cases begun since April, 2.5% have been in Birmingham, 2% in Leeds, 3% in Manchester and 0.8% in Cardiff.

David Greene, president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, said the regional courts had done little to help London: ‘It’s still a very busy court with significant delays in the process.’

But Greene said it was early days and work in the regions would increase as people got used to the new system. ‘People are used to coming to London, and the main chambers doing administrative law are here. It will take time for culture and tastes to change,’ he said.

Greene welcomed the new courts and maintained: ‘It’s sensible that justice should be accessible, and important that these courts are available outside London.’

James Haddleton, vice-president of Leeds Law Society, said that if the figures for immigration reconsiderations, which can only be done in London, are taken out, then 13.8% of new cases began in the regional courts. He noted that Leeds had exceeded its initial target.

Fran Eccles-Bech, executive director of Manchester Law Society, said the new court had hit its target in Manchester and been a success. ‘The purpose of the regionalisation of the court, which is access to justice, has been met and for the first time there are clients sitting in court behind their legal representatives,’ she said.

An HMCS spokesman said initial progress was encouraging.