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This is another in a series of wrong decisions by the SCCO

CCMCs were never meant to be mini detailed assessments, yet this 'decision' means that, if costs officers (paid actually to assess) are not willing to deal with rates, then parties will have to insist Judges do in detail at costs management stage.

Similarly, the SCCO have recently declined to deviate from an approved budget where they took the phase totals as a 'cap' and holding that even though the solicitors had not done the work intended by designated fee earners or Counsel, as it remained 'within budget' the solicitor was entitled to spend the cap however they wished after it was set. Consequently, parties can now budget for the highest grade doing everything possible with Counsel, and then afterwards giving in all to a paralegal without counsel and settle, yet still get what was budgeted for........

I forsee Judges being required to be VERY specific in CCMC Orders what they allowed and on what basis, and to make specific rulings on rates, based on what the SCCO are(n't) doing. Fortune will not favour the fools who agree budgets........