Citation and commencement

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Local Justice Areas Order 2015.

(2) This Order comes into force on 3rd August 2015 for the purposes of Part 1 of the Schedule.

(3) For all other purposes, this Order comes into force on 1st January 2016.

Interpretation

2.-(1) In this Order-

"existing area" means a local justice area as it exists immediately before 1st January 2016;

"new area" means a local justice area constituted by this Order.

(2) Any reference to a justice for an area is to be construed as a reference to a justice of the peace who ordinarily acts, or as the case may be, will on or after 1st January 2016, ordinarily act, in and for that area.

New Areas

3.-(1) The existing areas of-

(a)Berwick-upon-Tweed,

(b)Mid and South East Northumberland,

(c)Newcastle and Tynedale, and

(d)North Tyneside District,

are combined to become a new area named North Northumbria.

(2) The existing areas of-

(a)Gateshead District,

(b)City of Sunderland, and

(c)South Tyneside District,

are combined to become a new area named South Northumbria.

(3) The existing areas of-

(a)Harrogate and Skipton,

(b)Northallerton and Richmond,

(c)Scarborough, and

(d)York and Selby,

are combined to become a new area named North Yorkshire.

Amendments to the Local Justice Areas Order 2005

4.  The Schedule to the Local Justice Areas Order 2005(2) is amended as follows-

(a)omit "Berwick upon Tweed";

(b)omit "Mid and South East Northumberland";

(c)omit "Newcastle and Tynedale";

(d)omit "North Tyneside District";

(e)omit "Gateshead District";

(f)omit "City of Sunderland";

(g)omit "South Tyneside District";

(h)omit "Harrogate and Skipton";

(i)omit "Northallerton and Richmond";

(j)omit "Scarborough";

(k)omit "York and Selby";

(l)after "North London" insert "North Northumbria";

(m)after "South London" insert "South Northumbria";

(n)after "North and West Cumbria" insert "North Yorkshire".

The Schedule

5.  The Schedule to this Order has effect.

Article 5

SCHEDULE

PART 1Consequential and Transitional Provisions

1.-(1) In relation to a new area, the persons and bodies referred to in sub-paragraph (2) shall be appointed, elected or formed (as the case may be) in the prescribed manner and for the prescribed term, to take effect on 1st January 2016.

(2) The persons and bodies are-

(a)a chairman and one or more deputy chairmen of the justices of a local justice area;

(b)a Bench Training and Development Committee;

(c)a youth panel and a chairman and one or more deputy chairmen of a youth panel.

(3) In sub-paragraph (1) the expressions "the prescribed manner" and "the prescribed term" mean respectively-

(i)in relation to the election of a chairman or deputy chairman of the justices, the manner prescribed by the Justices of the Peace (Size and Chairmanship of Bench) Rules 2005(3) and a term ending on 31st December 2016;

(ii)in relation to the formation of a Bench Training and Development Committee and the appointment of a member of a Bench Training and Development Committee, the manner prescribed by the Justices of the Peace (Training and Development Committee) Rules 2007(4), and a term ending for one third of the members on 31st December in the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively;

(iii)in relation to the formation of a youth panel and the election of a chairman and one or more deputy chairmen of a youth panel, the manner prescribed by the Youth Courts (Constitution of Committees and Right to Preside) Rules 2007(5), and as regards any such election, a term ending on 31st December 2016; and

(4) In this Part of this Schedule any reference to the manner prescribed by rules or regulations for any election, appointment or formation shall not include provisions relating to dates, times or time limits.

2.-(1) The persons who will be justices for a new area may hold a meeting before 1st January 2016 for the purposes set out in this Part of this Schedule and in order to prepare to assume their functions on and after that date.

(2) If a meeting is held in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) it shall be treated as if it were a meeting of the justices for the new area for the purposes of the enactments cited in this Part of this Schedule despite the fact that the new area was not at that time in existence.

(3) The persons appointed or elected for a new area under paragraph 1(1) may hold one or more meetings after the conclusion of the process of appointment or election but before 1st January 2016 for the purpose of preparing to assume their functions on and after that date.

PART 2Other things done

3.  Subject to the provisions of this Schedule anything done before 1st January 2016 by, to, before or in relation to any justices for an existing area, their clerk or any other officer of the court, shall on or after that date, be deemed to have been done by, to, before or in relation to those justices, their clerk or any other officer of the court, as justices for the new area, their clerk or any other officer of the court, as the case may be.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order creates three new local justice areas by combining certain existing local justice areas. It amends the list of local justice areas in the Local Justice Areas Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/554) to reflect the changes.

The new local justice areas and the existing areas they combine are as follows:

• North Northumbria replaces the areas of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Mid and South East Northumberland, Newcastle and Tynedale, and North Tyneside District.

• South Northumbria replaces the areas of Gateshead District, City of Sunderland and South Tyneside District.

• North Yorkshire replaces the areas of Harrogate and Skipton, Northallerton and Richmond, Scarborough and York and Selby.

The Order comes into force on 3rd August 2015 for the purpose of enabling appointments to be made, elections to be held and bodies formed on the basis of the altered local justice areas. The Order comes into force on 1st January 2016 for the substantive creation of the new local justice areas.