Plan to move coroner’s court

A report due to be considered by the city council’s cabinet recommends the council finalises its purchase of the former Youth Court on Newton Street from the Ministry of Justice.

The report also recommends the council orders a £1.03 million refurbishment of the building to allow Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Service to move in.

The coroner’s court is currently located next door, and has one “jury” court room where inquests are held into deaths where causes are unknown or unnatural or when someone dies while in custody.

The report from Paul Lankester, interim assistant director of regulation and enforcement at the city council, states the building is “increasingly expensive to operate” and requires a major refurbishment.

It adds the coroner’s service is facing “extensive additional demands relating to the type and volume of work it undertakes”.

The Youth Court building, which became available in August last year, has six court rooms over four floors.

The refurbishment proposed in the report would provide the coroner’s service with a total of three court rooms as well as office space.

It is suggested any additional space could be used for meeting or training facilities for staff within the city council’s Neighbourhoods Directorate.

The public mortuary is currently located behind the coroner’s court, though the report states there is no requirement for the two to be in the same location.

It states the purchase of the Youth Court would be “the first step towards creating a Mortuary and Pathology Services centre of excellence” for the region.

But it states a separate report is to be produced on options for where the new mortuary centre could be located.

A letter from Birmingham and Solihull Senior Coroner Louise Hunt, included with the report, states: “The coroner is an independent judicial office holder with a statutory responsibility to investigate all violent or unnatural deaths, deaths where the cause is unknown and deaths in custody or state detention.

“The nature of our cases means they often involve other agencies and the independence of the coroner is paramount in all we do to ensure an open and transparent service for families and interested persons.

“For that reason it is important that we remain separate from the local authority whilst conducting our judicial role.”

The report will be considered on April 21 by the council’s cabinet – consisting of the council leader, deputy leader and councillors with specific responsibilities for council services.

The meeting is being held online due to social distancing measures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and will be made available to stream via the council’s website.