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The UK Supreme Court is sitting in Manchester for the first time ever this week – and you can go and watch

It's the first time it's ever sat outside a capital city.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 6th March 2023

The UK Supreme Court is sitting for the first time ever here in Manchester this week, and it’s open for the public to watch.

Not only is it the first time that the UK’s highest court – which is the final court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland – has sat in our city, but it’s also the first time it has sat outside of its permanent home in London, or in the other capital cities of Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast.

The Supreme Court cases will be heard at Manchester’s Civil Justice Centre in Spinningfields.

Opened in 2007 and often nicknamed the ‘filing cabinet’ because of its distinctive external design, the Manchester Civil Justice Centre will welcome some of the top judges in the country on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Three cases are set to be heard this week.

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As the Supreme Court’s stay in Manchester aims to be “open and accessible” to all, curious members of the public are welcome to attend either of the three hearings happening this week to witness the court proceedings live in action.

Not only that, but the cases will also be streamed live online for those who are unable to make it in person.

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Lord Reed, who is the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Hodge, Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Burrows, Lord Stephens, Lady Rose, and Lord Richards are just some of the judges attending.

“The Supreme Court is committed to being one of the most open and accessible courts in the world,” Lord Reed said previously, “like all our hearings, the cases we hear in Manchester will be live streamed via our website for everyone who cannot get to see us in person.”

The UK Supreme Court is sitting in Manchester for the first time ever this week / Credit: Supreme Court UK

The judges are also set to attend several other events in the city while they’re here this week – including acting as judges for university students in mock cases, and a Judicial Assistant recruitment event at the Manchester Law Society.

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They’ll also be hosting a Q&A session with sixth form students in the region.

Featured Image – Flickr

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Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body

Danny Jones Danny Jones GMP appeal after body of Chorlton man found dead in bedroom

A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.

William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.

Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.

Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.

Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.

Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.

“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”

Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.

“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.

“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”

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With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”

You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.

Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police

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Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.

As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.

This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.

According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting. 

The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.  

Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.

Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.

More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.

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This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.

It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.  

Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)

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