Lancaster Town Hall becomes a ‘Nightingale Court’

The new site will provide an extra two courtrooms that will hear criminal cases – providing additional capacity for more jury trials at Preston Crown Court and Lancaster Magistrates’ Courts.

Temporary courts, known as ‘Nightingale Courts’, have been set up across the country to alleviate the pressure on courts and tribunals resulting from the pandemic – ensuring justice continues to be served.

The move forms part of a new, additional £30m investment to deliver a further 40 Nightingale court rooms and fund a range of measures to address the number of outstanding cases. It brings the total investment in such measures to more than £110m this year.

A further £337m announced in the recent Spending Review will support the Government’s crime agenda – delivering swift and effective justice to convict offenders, support victims, and protect the wider public. Meanwhile, £76 million will be invested to further increase capacity in family courts and tribunals.

Courts Minister, Chris Philp MP, said: “I am grateful to Lancaster Town Hall for joining the national effort to reduce delays and deliver speedier justice for victims.

“Our actions are beginning to produce positive results – magistrates’ backlogs continue to fall and the number of cases resolved in the Crown Courts has trebled since April.

“We are investing unprecedented amounts and pursuing every available option to drive this recovery further.”

Coun Erica Lewis, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “With many of the council’s staff currently working from home due to Covid-19 the town hall is underutilised.

“It is encouraging that the space that has become available as a result can be used to deliver this valuable service to the community.”

A Nightingale Court located at Birmingham Library and Repertory Theatre will also begin hearing its first cases this week.

Further sites in Hull, Staffordshire and Cirencester will open early in the new year, bringing the total number temporary court rooms set up nationwide to 40.

These form part of wider measures designed to keep the justice system moving and ensure the quickest possible recovery – including the recruitment of 1,600 more court staff, rolling out technology, and installing temporary jury rooms across the country to enable more trials to be heard safely.

These measures are beginning to show positive results:

Since August, magistrates’ courts have seen outstanding cases fall - dealing with over 21,000 cases each week. Crown courts are currently holding over 100 jury trials, and clear over 1,700 cases a week.

More jury trial rooms open every week, with more than 260 now in operation.

Plexiglass screens have been rolled out to more than 400 court rooms jury deliberation rooms, enabling more jury trials to be heard.

Meanwhile, a major £153m investment – the biggest single investment in court estate maintenance for more than 20 years – will speed up technological improvements and modernise courtrooms.