Coroner’s courts close ahead of move to Ponty
THE coroner’s courts in Aberdare – as well as Cardiff – have now closed ahead of a move to a new location.
Back in January sources told Wales Online that staff would make the move to Pontypridd in March and April.
An insider said staff were told they were being relocated last year.
“The consultation is finished as far as we are concerned and it’s done,” the source said.
Now this has been confirmed and Aberdare Coroner’s Court closed its doors on Friday, March 2.
A spokeswoman for Aberdare Coroner’s Court said: “There will be two weeks of listings held at the Muni in Pontypridd and then we start on March 19.”
In 2015 plans for a super coroner were revealed – but then the idea was that the courts in Cardiff and Aberdare would continue to be used.
According to a Rhondda Cynon Taf council report, dated September 24, 2015, it was agreed to pursue amalgamating Powys, Bridgend, Glamorgan Valleys, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan coroner areas on February 26, 2014.
A report dated December 15, 2015, by the authority’s legal and democratic services director said the plan would have “the potential to make savings through economies of scale and allow full-time coroners to focus entirely on their coronial duties to develop their skills fully.”
“Both the Ministry of Justice and the Chief Coroner are in favour of such mergers and actively encourage local authorities to consider the benefits these may bring to both and experiences the authority and service users,” the report said.
In November last year an application was submitted to RCT to build a coroner’s court in an empty building on Court House Street, Pontypridd, previously used for RCT support staff.
Documents describe the proposals as “internal only remodelling on the second floor to provide a court room for the new coroner’s office.”
The listed building, marked on papers as a register office, will see “existing court furniture at Aberdare being relocated” there.
“Our aim is to preserve the key elements of the listing during and after the works, creating a building fit for its intended use as the main coroner’s office for South Wales,” it says.
A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “Plans to centralise Coroner services from across the South Wales Central region have been agreed, which will see the main Coroner Court and Offices located in Pontypridd.”
A spokeswoman for Cardiff Coroner’s Office confirmed they will begin working in Pontypridd from April 9.
Until then the Cardiff office will continue to operate as normal until the Friday before.