Maximising Estate Efficiencies

HM Courts and Tribunals Service is currently trying to make more efficient use of their estate (i.e. the buildings they own).

Historically, different courts and tribunals have tended to keep to themselves, with employment tribunals happening in designated employment tribunal buildings; tax tribunals happening in tax tribunal buildings and so on. Most of these buildings contained both hearing rooms and the admin staff dealing with the cases.

This is changing as HMCTS tries to make the system more efficient and less expensive. What this means, at least at the moment, is that some tribunal hearings are being listed away from the tribunal office.

So, if your notice of hearing says ‘Ambridge Magistrates Court’, don’t panic. You have not been somehow misrouted into into the criminal justice system. They’re just borrowing a spare room.

If you are involved in one of these cases it’s worth being a bit careful to avoid embarrassing mistakes. Don’t turn up at the Employment Tribunal office if you’re actually being heard down the road at the Social Entitlement Chamber’s building. And send letters to the Employment Tribunal Office, even if the hearing is happening somewhere else.