Issue details

The County of Lancashire currently has four separate coronial jurisdictions – Preston and West Lancashire, East Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool - each with its own Senior Coroner, responsible for the administration of the coroner service within their geographical area. The County Council is the relevant authority for both Preston and West Lancashire and East Lancashire.

The Senior Coroner for the Blackburn with Darwen coronial area has expressed a wish to retire with effect from 30 June 2017.  Coroners are subject to the overriding jurisdiction of the Chief Coroner who has indicated a clear wish that nationally he expects to see a reduction in the number of coronial areas, reflecting the need for local authorities to achieve cost savings.

A potential merger of existing coronial areas has therefore been considered by the County Council and Blackburn with Darwen as a result of which it is proposed to submit an application  to the Chief Coroner and Lord Chancellor to request a merger between the Preston & West Lancashire, East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen coroner areas. 

Both the Preston and West Lancashire and East Lancashire Senior Coroners already work closely together and are supported by Lancashire County Council.  The Blackburn with Darwen coroner area is jointly funded between Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.  Support for the Preston and West Lancashire and East Lancashire Coroners is already provided by one central office based in Preston and it is anticipated that the support for the Blackburn with Darwen area could also be provided at Preston.

A merger between the three coroner areas would support the Chief Coroner's aim for a coroner area to deal with a minimum of 3000 deaths per year, reduce the number of part-time senior coroners and achieve significant cost savings. 

As part of the submission the County Council will ask the Lord Chancellor to consider appointing the Senior Coroner for Preston and West Lancashire as the Senior Coroner for the new jurisdiction; the Senior Coroner for East Lancashire as an Area Coroner; and the retiring Senior Coroner for Blackburn with Darwen as an Assistant Coroner for the new jurisdiction.