County Councillor Jennifer Mein, the Leader of the County Council:
(i) Supported the proposed merger between Preston and West Lancashire, East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen coroner areas
(ii) Recommended to the Lord Chancellor that:
· the Senior Coroner for Preston and West Lancashire be appointed as the Senior Coroner in the newly formed area;
· the Senior Coroner for East Lancashire be appointed as an Area Coroner in the newly formed area; and
· The retiring Senior Coroner for Blackburn with Darwen be appointed as an Assistant Coroner in the newly formed area.
This decision should be implemented immediately for the purposes of Standing Order 34 (3) as any delay could adversely affect the execution of the County Council's responsibilities. The reason for this is the Ministry of Justice require immediate confirmation in order to proceed with the application and to meet their deadline.