Revised Guidance – CVP and BCM
Guidance regarding Court attendance by CVP was last issued during the Covid crisis and now requires updating. Similarly, it has become clear that the revised Better Case Management scheme, in operation since mid-January, should be accompanied by an indication of local policy.
Attendance by CVP has enabled much work to be done that otherwise could not have been, and it is recognized that “remote” attendance is now a permanent feature of Crown Court proceedings. That said, attendance by CVP can be sub-optimal and where attendance by CVP is permitted it is to be emphasized that attendance in person will always be preferred. Advocates should attend in person if they can, even for the type of hearing for which prior permission to attend by CVP is not required.
The revised BCM handbook, with which all practitioners will now be familiar, somewhat changed the BCM landscape. The intention was and remains to focus on making the PTPH hearing in any case sent for trial as effective as possible, whilst recognizing that the efficient conduct of cases requires, in most instances, further pre-trial hearings.
This revised guidance will come into effect on Monday 5 June 2023 in each of the Greater Manchester Crown Courts.
Please find the updated Pre-trial Questionnaire form here.
Recorder of Manchester, His Honour Judge Dean KC