The Berkshire (Coroners) Order 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes provision about coroners in consequence of the abolition of Berkshire County Council by article 3 of the Berkshire (Structural Change) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/1879) on that date. The County of Berkshire continues to exist.

Under section 1(1)(a) of the Coroners Act 1988 (as substituted by the Local Government Reorganisation (Amendment of Coroners Act 1988) Regulations 1996, as amended by the Local Government Reorganisation (Amendment of Coroners Act 1988) Regulations 1998) coroners are appointed for each coroner’s district in a non-metropolitan county in which there is more than one local government district and for which there is no county council. Those coroners' districts are established by order of the Secretary of State under section 4(1) of the 1988 Act, as amended by the 1998 Regulations.

Article 2(1) of this Order provides for the existing coroners' districts for the County of Berkshire to continue to have effect as if made by order under section 4(1) of the 1988 Act, as amended. Article 2(3) provides for the Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to be the relevant council for the purposes of section 1(1A)(b) of the 1988 Act (as substituted and amended) in respect of the coroner’s district described in article 2(2)(c).

Article 3 makes transitional provision in respect of the appointment, pay and pensions of coroners and article 4 makes similar provision in respect of the rights and liabilities relating to coroners of Berkshire County Council.