Agenda item

Lincolnshire Coroners Service Annual Report

(To receive a report from Paul Smith, Acting Senior Coroner and James Chapple, Head of Registration and Coroners Services, which invites the Committee to consider and comment on the Lincolnshire Coroners Service Annual Report)

Minutes:

(Councillor A Dani left the meeting at 11:48am).

 

Consideration was given to a report from Paul Smith, Acting Senior Coroner and James Chapple, Head of Registration and Coroners Services, which invited the Committee to consider and comment on the Lincolnshire Coroners Service Annual Report.

 

The report provided the Committee with information pertaining to: Lincolnshire’s Coronial jurisdiction;  the Coroners Statistics for 2020; the challenges and achievements for 2020 and the impact of the pandemic on the service; the positive developments resulting from the Coroners Service Transformation Project, which included the provision of a permanent office and court facility for the service, improved method of working across the County with the introduction of a new electronic referral system and improved communication with other stakeholders; and the potential formation of a Greater Lincolnshire Coroners Service.

 

In conclusion, the Committee noted, despite the unprecedented challenges presented by the pandemic, the service had received positive feedback from families they had supported in finding closure of the sudden death of a loved one; and that it was hoped that the service would continue to move forward with renewed optimism. 

 

During consideration of this item, the Committee highlighted the following comments to be noted: -

 

(Councillor A P Maughan, (Executive Support Councillor Fire and Rescue and Cultural Services), left the meeting at 12 noon).

 

·       Some concern was expressed to the increase in the number of deaths caused by industrial diseases, and the number of deaths classed as ‘all other conclusions’.  It was reported that the increase in industrial diseases was a modest increase year on year, this was mainly due to the large retirement population on the east coast, many of whom had retired from coalfields in the east Midlands or from other industry.  The ‘all other conclusions’, were incidents when the coroner was able to express the circumstances of a death, which did not fit a particular label, for example someone who died as a result of an excess of prescribed medication, the coroner may be satisfied that the person had taken too many tablets but was that because they were in chronic pain, or whether it was an error of judgement, under those circumstances the coroner would not ordinarily return a narrative conclusion.

·       Reasons for the delay in the merger.  The Committee noted that it was not known why the process was taking so long, the County Council had done everything it needed to do, and that it was now down to the Chief Coroner making an application to the Lord Chancellors Department.  It was highlighted that the Acting Senior Coroner for Lincolnshire was also Acting Senior Coroner for North Lincolnshire and Grimsby;

·       Confirmation was given that going forward the use of IT would form part of the service, but it was highlighted that some delicate cases were better suited to face-to-face hearings;

·       Clarification was sought as to the number Lincolnshire residents who died each year.  The Committee was advised that that figure was not within statistics provided, as the Acting Senior Coroner was notified of body lying within the area of Lincolnshire.  It was suggested that the information would be held by the Office of National Statistics.  Officers agreed to check and report back to the Committee if that information was held by them; and

·       Definition of a lawful killing and an unlawful killing.  It was reported that both were very rare. Unlawful killing was a killing which arose out of the criminal offences of murder or manslaughter; and lawful killing would be if somebody had been killed through legitimate and proportionate use of force, for example i.e. a police shooting.

 

The Chairman on behalf of the Committee extended thanks to the presenters.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Lincolnshire Coroners Service Annual report be received and that a further update be received in July 2022. 

Supporting documents:

 

 
 
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