Following the concerns voiced before Christmas by Andrew Turner, the Island’s MP, regarding the lack of an effective bailiff service on the Island over recent months, he has now learned that a new full-time bailiff has been appointed to cover the Isle of Wight starting in January.
Mr Turner heard of the problems from a constituent who had responded to an advertised vacancy for a bailiff. The constituent applied for the post in July and had been offered a position in August. However over the next 15 weeks the Ministry of Justice procrastinated until finally informing him in November that due to ‘operational changes’ and a ‘much more demanding financial environment’ they were not now planning to fill the post. Mr Turner raised the case with the Deputy Leader of the House of Commons (Chris Bryant MP) in a debate just before Christmas. The next day the post was offered to the constituent by telephone as ‘circumstances had changed again’.
Mr Turner said:
“I was absolutely astounded that a Government Department should mess somebody around in such a way when employing new staff, and I raised the matter in a debate in the House of Commons. I am glad that the situation has now been resolved and that we will again have a proper bailiff service – a number of constituents had contacted me to tell me what problems they had encountered in ensuring that court decisions could be enforced. Had this not been resolved I would have raised the matter with the Justice Select Committee of which I am a member.”
