Shaun Davies MP has called for the Government to consider the introduction of a Long Service Medal for Magistrates.
Speaking in the Commons Chamber on Thursday, 24th April 2024, the recently installed Labour MP for Telford said: "On a recent visit with the Courts Minister, my Honourable and Learned Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Sarah Sackman), to Shropshire's Justice Centre, I was reminded about the dedication of our Magistrates.
"Can we have a debate in Government time about the importance of Magistrates in the Justice System?
"Since the 12th century, Magistrates have played a critical role in delivering local justice, and now do so as volunteers, many with decades of service.
"Currently, there is not a long service medal award; does the Leader of the House agree that there really ought to be?"
Leader of the House, the Rt. Hon. Lucy Powell MP, replied: "I join my Honourable Friend in thanking all the Magistrates - as he says, they are volunteers, and they are the backbone of our Justice System in this country.
I think the issue he has highlighted is one that would gather a great deal of momentum and support, and I implore him to continue campaigning for it."
Magistrates across the land perform the role out of a sense of public duty, pride in their communities and with no expectation of personal reward.
That said, it is a bit depressing when someone who has been a Magistrate for two or three decades gets a card and a few words of thanks if they are lucky.
It is nice to see Mr Davies at least highlighting the issue, even though I'm sure nothing will come of it.
4 comments:
Fifteen years ago, I resigned from the MA in frustration after a colleague and I put forward a motion asking members to consider establishing an honours and awards (H&A) panel, alongside the creation of a justice medal, with the aim of equipping ourselves to nominate those making an outstanding contribution to the magistracy and recognising long service.
Although 83% of respondents on what was then the Magistrates' Forum supported the idea at the time, our proposal was rejected following a lacklustre AGM debate that was surprisingly reactive and emotive. As I recall you contributed in a similarly dismissive way at the time.
My experience since then aligns with what is captured in this new report. I have glumly observed just a handful of honours announced during the whole of the intervening decade and a half - for "services to the administration of justice". As I predicted, the few successful nominations for outstanding contribution were haphazard and depended largely on the skills and tenacity of the nominators. Nor does the H&A system simply recognise long service, no matter how consistent and diligent.
In the meantime, courts were closed and the magistracy was halved, which contributed to the crisis we now face. Other factors such as the nature of volunteering and employer support are at play here as well, but the need for magistrates to staff the remaining increasingly busy courts resulted in the increase in mandatory retirement to 75. An unintended consequence of this is we are now seeing people devote 40-50 years to serving their community through careful judicial adjudication. So it is right, in my view, that this be recognised formally - and not just another computer printed certificate.
While my personal preference remains for a justice medal that inclusively recognises long service among volunteer or salaried members of the judiciary and front line court staff, I am delighted at the recommendations contained in the Magistrates Matter report.
I don't remember being dismissive on the idea of a justice medal 15 years ago. I think it's pretty unlikely because I've only been blogging here for about 8 years.
My apologies: this wasn't you? https://thejusticeofthepeaceblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/magistrates-and-medals.html
No, that definitely wasn't me.
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