LEAN is a new managerial model being piloted by the Tribunals Service in Reading, Oxford, Coventry and Stoke. It's been progressing since January this year.

I'm wondering whether folk on the ground are experiencing improvements or different problems. I'm informed by a very good source that the Judiciary are quite optimistic, but I'd be keen to hear the views from the coal face as to it's operation day to day.

Haven't noticed any particular changes or improvements since Jan. What exactly is LEAN? what does it stand for?

Never heard of it. And I can't say I've any any issues that might suggest a new way of doing things.

Worsening admin issues still remain at Birmingham ASC, but these are not attributable - in my experience - to anything going on at the venues.

we haven't noticed any difference under LEAN - however given the hugh increase in appeals, hearings and consequent delays at DWP & TS Brum over the past 12-18 months its difficult to know if LEAN is making a difference (would things be worse without?).

The problems with delays & listing, post/faxes waiting weeks to be registered, failure to pass add. evidence to tribunal in time, post hearing delays etc only seem to increase.

We have made more complaints about TS service in the last 12 months that we have probablly done in the previous 12 yrs+.

we are also having a large number of tribunals adjourned on the day because they have been listed without TS having a medical member available.

We do have the LEAN team leaders direct number who is always happy to sort things out though!

Lean manufacturing or lean productions, which is often known simply as "Lean", is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination. Working from the perspective of the customer who consumes a product or service, "value" is defined as any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for. Basically, lean is centered on preserving value with less work. Lean manufacturing is a generic process management philosophy derived mostly from the Toyota Production System (TPS) (hence the term Toyotism is also prevalent) and identified as "Lean" only in the 1990s.<1> <2> It is renowned for its focus on reduction of the original Toyota seven wastes to improve overall customer value, but there are varying perspectives on how this is best achieved. The steady growth of Toyota, from a small company to the world's largest automaker,<3> has focused attention on how it has achieved this. (source Wiki)

Thanks Chris.

So many questions arise, here's but a few:

- who is the "end customer" for the TTS - appellants, official departments or the treasury?

- "preserving value with less work" I wonder if this accounts for various ommissions and failures...?

- given the worsening nature of TTS administration, could it be correct to conclude that 'LEAN' is not working?

thanks for the explanation. just this week i have phoned the UT tribunal service to ascertain progress on a case on which we eagerly await a decision on the LA's application for leave to appeal. it had already gone pear-shaped when in earlier enquiries I discovered that they had not received the original application, sent in error to the old Commissioner's address. It was re-submitted 2 months later, and I was assured of urgent handling. There had been no progress - 1 month later they are awaiting the FtT file from Birmingham - 2 requests sent.
I then phoned Birmingham - no requests on their computer system - I had to be assertive, and got the person whose job it wasn't, to physically locate the file, which he promised would be sent to the UTTS next day when the person whose job it was returned to the office. This must be how LEAN works...

i note that the Tribunal Service has published a high-faluting business plan, but i'd just like them to be able to get a file from Birmingham to London in less than a month.

So not so much LEANing as toppling then?