Press Release
Community Legal Advice Centre to open in Derby
Wednesday 23 August 2006
A new way of delivering publicly-funded civil legal and advice services for Derby residents was announced today as the city was earmarked for one of the first ever Community Legal Advice Centres.
The Centre, a joint funding initiative between the Legal Services Commission (LSC) and Derby City Council, is one of a series of centres being set up to test out the best ways of delivering and commissioning integrated legal advice services following a consultation on the principle last year.
Community Legal Advice Centres received the endorsement of Lord Carter of Coles in his review of legal aid procurement. The Centre in Derby will be established as part of the first wave of services recommended in the review.
The Centre brings together civil legal aid funded by the LSC with social welfare services provided by the Council to provide better help for people in greatest need, to provide more coordinated and cost-effective services and to be more able to tackle the common causes of local problems.
Residents visiting the Centre will be able to get legal help and representation for a range of social welfare and family problems at the same time. Research shows that people commonly have several related problems but they often have to seek advice from different places for each one. People experiencing family problems, for example, are likely to also experience debt or housing problems. The new Centre will provide linked services for frequently linked problems.
Councillor Amar Nath, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood, Social Cohesion and Housing Strategy at Derby City Council said:
"People experiencing legal, housing or money problems should take advantage of this new service. It will be one of the first community legal advice centres in the country and is the result of the Council working closely with the Legal Services Commission."
Lin Storey, the Legal Services Commission’s Midlands Regional Director, said:
“One in three Derby residents (80,000 people) will experience problems that require help through legal advice each year. One in ten people with legal problems are still not seeking advice and 15% of those who seek advice fail to get help.
“The new centre will be designed around client need and will join up services so people can get early advice and receive the full range of help they need. It will provide high-quality advice and complement other local services.
"Through our partnership with Derby City Council we are confident that more people will be able to access justice. People who are aware of their rights can play a fuller role in society."
In Derby, the City Council and the Legal Services Commission will run a tender process to be launched in the Autumn and the Derby Community Legal Advice Centre is expected to open in the summer of 2007. Tender winners will gain three-year contracts to run the Centre and will play a hands-on role in developing and evaluating the service to inform the future delivery of civil legal aid.
All local law firms and advice agencies will be invited to hear more about the service at an open meeting to be held before the tender process begins.
Media seeking further information can contact:
Michaela Keating, Press Officer, Legal Services Commission 020 7759 0444 michaela.keating@legalservices.gov.uk
or
Carol Mee, Derby City Council Press Office Carol Mee 01332 255568 carol.mee@derby.gov.uk
Notes to Eds:
1. Link to CLS Strategy: http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/civil/innovations/strategy_for_cls.asp
Last updated: 28 December 2006