Forum Home → Discussion → Decision making and appeals → Thread
HMCTS - problems with (new) outgoing post provider = hearings adjourned
This is theoretically one for liaison/TUGs but in reality we haven’t had anything actually change as a consequence of a TUG in years. I honestly don’t know why they bother other than to tick a box. Last time out I wasn’t even convinced one judge understood a number of questions.
I now have a nice collection of letters from both DWP and HMCTS telling me how they can’t possibly do large print papers because they have neither the funding nor the facilities, followed rapidly by large print subs from DWP and more recently by a fully transcribed set of actual large print appeal papers on yellow legal paper and bound to boot.
I’ve one case on which I have requested directions 3 times now. Each time they’ve been added to the bundle. So, I lodged a complaint. Sure enough it’s not been actioned but, yes, it’s been added to the bundle. Take your pick. Literacy issue? Person spec. issue?
The left hand doesn’t currently understand the concept of a hand let alone that there’s a right one!
TUGs don’t seem to change anything in practice - but sometimes it what they don’t say that’s interesting / useful to know! Or just to watch the judge’s role their eyes when any issue re admin is raised now that admin. staff arn’t allowed to attend (at least not to our TUG) to deal with admin issues raised.
HMCTS explanation seems to be that there has been an unpreceedented rise in appeals (Err - didn’t we all predict this increase would happen due to the pause in appeals due to intro of MR working through, volume of WCAs back on track with new providers, DLA to PIP migration into full swing?). HMCTS will sight: difficulty recruiting and retaining extra staff, time required to train them, recruitment on temp. contracts only etc etc. [unprintable industrial language].
“Unprecedented” in the sense that pretty much all of us saw it; could predict it and watched in horror (but not surprise) as HMCTS did zilch to prepare and often the exact opposite by laying staff off etc. Culture wise they have the turning circle and speed of a very poorly dredger.
Wholly agree re: TUGs. They need to happen 4 times a year and they need to have action points and feedback. We get 1 a year and it often takes 6 months to get minutes, which usually bear little resemblance to what took place. Pretty much the only entertainment left in TUGs is watching the tension between the administrative (one of ours does still attend) and judicial sides as they wrestle with a 30 year old out of date structure whilst simultaneously telling us how we should do our jobs to aid justice. It is in many respects beyond parody at this stage but if you’re an appellant or representative then it’s a cause of untold anxiety, stress and illness.
[quote author=“Mike Hughes” date=“1512056598 Culture wise they have the turning circle and speed of a very poorly dredger.
Mike I think your being a bit unfair on dredgers! I have a friend who used to be a dredger captain and now occassional after dinner speaker (in and around Gobowen) who gives a very entertaining account of his dredger going round in circles in the North Sea after the rudder fell off. Entertaining in a way that TUGS/HMCTS could only dream of!!
Fair comment Peter, although as a “Gog” I am undecided as to whether I sympathise with him more from being in charge of an unhinged dredger or for hanging around Gobowen.
I cannot possibly take credit for the quote to be fair as I originally heard it whilst the passenger in a friend/ex neighbour’s Porsche as he attempted to reverse out of his parking space, which at the time (as per the whole car park) was a skating rink of solid ice. He literally put it into reverse; gave it one rev which pushed it back about 6 inches and we then sat back as it gently slid out of the space and he applied the slightest of touches to the steering wheel as we casually cruised backwards about 30 foot!
Fair comment Peter, although as a “Gog” I am undecided as to whether I sympathise with him more from being in charge of an unhinged dredger or for hanging around Gobowen.
I cannot possibly take credit for the quote to be fair as I originally heard it whilst the passenger in a friend/ex neighbour’s Porsche as he attempted to reverse out of his parking space, which at the time (as per the whole car park) was a skating rink of solid ice. He literally put it into reverse; gave it one rev which pushed it back about 6 inches and we then sat back as it gently slid out of the space and he applied the slightest of touches to the steering wheel as we casually cruised backwards about 30 foot!
Well he does also tell entertaining stories about trying to ‘park’ dredgers in various harbours etc. Sympathy I think for adopting it as his home on retirement - he was dragged up in the same part of Norf London as me. I do hope your not one of those Gogs who was actually born in Oswestry or Shrewsbury or a n other maternity hospital ‘over the boarder’ (I’ll have Mr Trump build a wall)?
I suppose we should now end this conversation that will be meaningless to almost all other readers before Daphne sends us to bed without any beer?!
This is of course a private conversation which no-one else can see or intrude upon 😊
I am one of those Gogs born in Chester!!!
I will eventually forgive my parents.
This is of course a private conversation which no-one else can see or intrude upon :)
I am one of those Gogs born in Chester!!!
I will eventually forgive my parents.
Your secret is safe with those who don’t understand a word of this conversation!
This is of course a private conversation which no-one else can see or intrude upon :)
I am one of those Gogs born in Chester!!!
I will eventually forgive my parents.
Your secret is safe with those who don’t understand a word of this conversation!
I’m looking for the “block Gareth Morgan” button. Shaaaaaaawn!
I suppose we should now end this conversation that will be meaningless to almost all other readers before Daphne sends us to bed without any beer?!
I wouldn’t be so cruel ;)
I suppose we should now end this conversation that will be meaningless to almost all other readers before Daphne sends us to bed without any beer?!
I wouldn’t be so cruel ;)
Back to the real issue - response from HMCTS:
“I would like to apologise for the letters being received so late. Some of the letters that are issued by the HMCTS at the Administrative Support Centre are done by bulk printing; this includes the notifications of hearing letters. The Bulk Print Centres manages post for all Regional Centres including ours. Currently we are experiencing problems with the company who provides our bulk printing. This has been escalated to the highest level. Temporarly provisions have been put in place to contact all appellants that have forthcoming hearings until this problem has been resolved and future hearing letters are being locally printed and issued for now.”