West Mercia court backlog reaches 1,600 cases as commissioner welcomes lifting of court sitting days cap
The backlog in the West Mercia crown court system has now reached 1,600 cases, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has said as he welcomes plans to lift the cap on the number of days courts can sit.
Justice Secretary David Lammy announced the Government and the judiciary have agreed a £2.7 billion settlement for courts and tribunals for 2026/27, up from £2.5 billion last year.
It means the limit on the number of crown court sitting days can be lifted.
The Justice Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister said the move will mean every crown court in England and Wales would be funded to hear more cases in the next financial year.
The agreement guarantees there will be no limit on the number of days on which crown courts can hear cases over the next financial year.
The move has been welcomed by West Mercia PCC John Campion, who said it was "a significant step forward" to deliver swifter justice in crown courts of Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire.
He said the change removes the limit on the number of days cases can be heard, enabling judges to hear as many cases as the system can support and helping to cut the backlog so victims receive faster, fairer justice.
As chair of the Local Criminal Justice Board, the PCC said he would continue to work closely with partners across the three counties to drive improvements locally.
However, he said national action is essential to address the scale of the challenge, with the West Mercia backlog currently standing at 1,601 cases.
Mr Campion said: “I hear far too often from victims and witnesses who are left waiting months - sometimes years - for their cases to be heard. That delay deepens the harm they have already suffered.
"Today’s [Tuesday's] announcement is an important step towards changing that, and I welcome the Government’s commitment to act.
“Lifting the cap on sitting days and investing in capacity by improving the court estate will make a real difference. It is encouraging to see the Government responding to concerns about courtrooms sitting empty when they could be delivering justice.
“The commitment to three‑year funding certainty and digital upgrades is also positive. But with police arresting and charging more people, and major reforms underway across the criminal justice system, it is vital the courts keep pace.
“We now need to see progress on increasing the number of judges and advocates, and clarity on the Government’s response to the Leveson review. With these measures in place, we can build a crown court system that delivers timely justice and meets the needs of the communities it serves.”
