JUST A FEW COMMENTS

This morning with little legal news that I thought worthy of comment I scanned the Branch pages of the Magistrates Association`s recently revamped website.  Below are a few of the comments which might cause just a flicker of interest.

"Appraisals.

We are in discussions over winger appraisers being able to appraise Chairman in the Adult, Family and Youth Court. The Committee feel that an winger appraiser, who does exactly the same appraiser training course as a chair, should be able to appraise the competencies required, in fact are sometimes in a better position to do that as a winger.  If you have any comments or would like to get in touch, my contact details are below."

"John Hayward then spoke of developments and issues of interest at the MA. The 4 constituent parts of the MA are:

1.Its future: There must be on going debate about the future of the magistracy. The MA does not support the idea of a fixed 10-year term for magistrates. The proposal has been watered down and Lord Leveson is compiling a review that should result in more work going to the Magistrates’ Court rather than the Crown Court."

"1.    Reports:  All the reports had been sent to the MA to be posted on the Branch Pages, but this had not been done and the branch pages could not be accessed on the new MA website. Brief report were given to the meeting and members were told if they wanted the full reports to contact the secretary and she would email them out."

"·  New Magistrates' Induction Evening

• Date: 9 September, 2015 
• Time: 00:00 " 

"Our Key Tasks are:
>To provide Annual Training for Branch members
>To develop ways for members to meet socially
>To develop a social group for supplemental magistrates."

"We will all do whatever it takes to support members in every aspect of their involvement in the Magistrates' Association and the magistracy."

"Branch events

·         TBC

• Date: 1 January, 1970
• Time: 00:00" 
• 
  

"No contested nominations were received for any post ahead of the meeting."

"Miss S had the opportunity to talk to the MA membership secretary and confirm that they were altering their approach to members who were retiring by contacting them much earlier in an attempt to retain their membership. The need to retain the membership of retiring members in view of the limited level of recruitment of magistrates continues to be one of the MAs main objectives."



 "At present the membership is 279 and represents just <50% of the  Bench"