Community Legal Services

What does community legal services mean?
The Government's vision for community legal services is:

A network of quality providers

• Supported by co-ordinated funding
• Delivering services to local communities
• Based on a clear picture of local needs
• With organisations working together to provide the right type of legal help to people where they need it.

The Access to Justice Act established a new national organisation to replace the Legal Aid Board. Called the Legal Services Commission, it is responsible for the community legal service. This service is wider in scope than civil legal aid. The Commission works with local authorities and other funders and providers to plan services and assess local levels of need.

In Tameside

• All council and Legal Services Commission funded advice services are Quality Marked following an independent audit process
• An agreed strategic plan led to a refocusing of investment to maximise the effectiveness of advice provision, and make best use of the mix of funding streams available
• A comprehensive web site has been established with details of the work of the partnership and a directory of advice providers

Innovation

Innovative projects have been set up by members of the Partnership to prevent poverty and to provide better access to legal services:

• Providing benefits advice to all new admissions to the mental health unit at Tameside General Hospital. This work also identified the need for earlier interventions to tackle critical debt problems.
• A pilot community mental health money advice service has been established with a time limited grant.
• The number of people being represented in possession proceedings has been increased by the court duty scheme. Supported by private solicitors, a social landlord, the Citizens Advice Bureau, and Shelter the scheme ensures that tenants and house owners have early contact and representation in court.
• Joint funding by the Legal Services Commission and the Council of employment law advice provision.

For further information and details of advice provision in Tameside visit our website www.tameside-cls.org.uk