Second ‘Nightingale Court’ to ease case backlog

A SECOND so-called ‘Nightingale Court’ is to open in Birmingham to ease the backlog of criminal and civil cases which has built up during lockdown.

The emergency court will be created in Maple House, off Priory Queensway in the city centre, and will start hearing its first cases this week.

It is the second one to open, with the city’s REP Theatre already up and running as a makeshift courthouse.

Maple House is normally a conference centre. Maple House will have four extra courtrooms, for non-custodial criminal cases, as well as civil and family work.

It is a stone’s throw from Birmingham’s magistrates and crown courts, off Corporation Street.

In December, the Birmingham REP Theatre became the city’s first Nightingale Court, taking work from the crown court.

There are also plans in the pipeline to turn the Library of Birmingham into an emergency court.

However both moves met with a backlash from many groups involved in the arts, who felt the venues were inappropriate.

Courts Minister, Chris Philp, said: “We are determined to deliver swifter justice for the people of Birmingham and this new Nightingale Court will help boost those efforts.

“This is part of our action to tackle the impact of the pandemic on our courts and reduce delays for victims, which has already seen magistrates’ backlogs fall and the number of cases being dealt with in the crown court reach

December.”

While cases have continued to be heard in Birmingham courts throughout the pandemic, the numbers dealt with has dropped significantly due to social distancing requirements. The vast majority of cases are now heard remotely via video links.

Jury trials have resumed and the number of outstanding cases in the magistrates court has also fallen, with numbers getting close to prepandemic levels.

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DRONE users have been warned to stay away from Birmingham after a spate of illegal flights nearby.

Half a dozen drone users breached the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) at Birmingham Airport on Saturday, putting aircraft and lives at risk, police said.

The Birmingham Airport police team also caught more drone users on Sunday, with one rebuked.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We received reports of drones being illegally flown in the vicinity of Birmingham Airport on Saturday.

“There were believed to be six individual drones across the day although no pilots were identified and no disruption was caused.

“The airspace around airports and airfields is protected by an area called the Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ) and Runway Protection Zone (RPZ). To fly a drone in this area requires permission from

Air Traffic Control (ATC). Flying drones close to the restricted area not only puts aircraft at risk but also the lives of the public.

“When we do locate pilots we look to engage, explain and educate around the law and safe use of drones. However, should we see repeated breaches of the legislation we will look at pursuing further action.”

The police said no disruption was caused to flights.

CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak confirmed that a £20-a-week increase in Universal Credit is to be extended for another six months, as he delivered his Budget statement.

He also confirmed that the furlough scheme will continue to September, with people receiving 80 per cent of their wages if they cannot work.

But income tax will increase in real terms for working people even on modest salaries as thresholds are frozen until 2026.

And there will be a major increase in corporation tax paid by the largest and most profitable businesses. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Sunak warned: “Our borrowing is the highest it has been outside of wartime.” And it will take “many decades” to pay the money back.

He said he was forced to increase taxes because coronavirus and lockdowns had caused “acute” damage to the economy – which would last for years.

The Government was spending £407 billion in support for jobs, businesses and families over two years, he said. And in this Budget alone, he was announcing an additional £65 billion.

At the same time, the economy has shrunk by over 10 per cent, “the largest fall in over 200 years.”

The income tax threshold will rise to £12,570 next year, and then will be frozen until April 2026.

While nobody’s take-home pay will be cut, it does mean that the tax paid by most working people will increase every year. Wages will rise as a result of inflation, but because the tax threshold is frozen, people will pay more tax.

The threshold for paying the higher 40 per cent rate of income tax will be £50,270 next year, and will also be frozen until 2026. This means people on higher incomes will pay more tax.

In 2023, the rate of corporation tax paid on company profits currently 19 per cent, will increase to 25 per cent. Mr Sunak said the UK would still have the lowest corporation tax rate of the major economies.

But smaller businesses, with profits below £50,000, will still pay the 19 per cent rate. And the rate will then increase based on profits, so only firms with profits above £250,000 will pay the full 25 per cent rate. This means there will be a significant increase in corporation tax, but only for the largest and most profitable businesses.