Birmingham prepares for the opening of the new Administrative Court

It has been a long and sometimes challenging journey but Birmingham is now entering the final stages of its preparation to open a permanent Administrative Court in the city. Birmingham Forward, with its partners St. Philips Chambers, No.5 Chambers, Birmingham Law Society and Deloitte have been activity lobbying the Judiciary and Government to change the way regional High Court justice is conducted for over three years. The campaign has involved research, consultation, private briefings, public meetings, representations and correspondence to ministers and senior judges and as a result Birmingham was finally awarded a permanent Administrative Court which will open in early 2009. Birmingham's legal community will, of course, be at the centre of the success of the Admin Court. It will be the city's barristers and solicitors who will populate the Court's list of hearings. As a consequence a number of seminars are being held in the city to ensure that the region's legal community is fully aware of how the Court will work and the procedures it will follow. Between October 2008 and February 2009 Birmingham Forward will be hosting a series of seminars that will explore the details of how the Admin Court will operate. The first, recently held at St Philips Chambers, looked at Social Care and Accommodation in the Court and also provided some 50 attendees the opportunity to discuss how the Admin Court will resolve disputes between local authorities and disabled people in the provision of housing and accommodation under social care and discrimination legislation. The next seminar taking place on November 6th at Deloitte in Birmingham will take a detailed look at procurement. Other seminars will explore immigration and planning. Birmingham Forward's Chief Executive, Richard Brennan, believes that the forthcoming opening of the Administrative Court is a major step forward in the campaign to build Birmingham's reputation as a centre for justice; "It was a defining moment in our campaign to change the way regional justice operates to be granted an Admin Court in the city. Not only does this show that Birmingham is a prominent and important centre for justice but it will have significant benefit for local authorities, public bodies, business and individuals who will now be able to have their cases heard within the city and not have to travel to London with all the cost and inconvenience this causes." "The legal community are determined to make the Admin Court a success and to justify the decision to open the court here in the city. The seminars Birmingham Forward are hosting will support the preparation for the opening of the Court by offering platforms for discussion and knowledge transfer." "Although this is a major development the wider issue of gaining a Permanent High Court in the city is still on our agenda. This is will not be easy to achieve but we are convinced that we have made a substantial case with clear evidence of the demand. Recently there has been coverage that the court system is being reviewed in the light of major cost cutting in the system and indeed, this will impact on the progress of bringing the resident High Court to the city. However, Birmingham Forward and its partners are determined keep up the pressure as it will be in the long term interests of the city and for regional justice."

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