Adjudication Panel Guidance: Changes in Arrangements for Hearings During Covid-19

This guidance is also available as a PDF.

This guidance has been produced to provide information on how the Adjudication Panel will progress cases during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the pandemic, the principles under which the Adjudication Panel operates do not change, and the Panel will continue to conduct themselves and their work in the same way as before these circumstances arose.

Some changes are however necessary, in order to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of panel members, CLC staff, respondents and their teams, and members of the public who are attending our hearings.  Flexibility will be key to the safe and effective management of our ongoing work and the hearings we hold.

Therefore, the following changes have been implemented:

1. 1. No hearings will be held face to face at this time. Whilst the government-imposed lockdown is in place, that will remain the position; when further advice is received that position will be reviewed, and a decision will be taken on whether and when to revert to face to face hearings.

1. 1. We can however hold hearings remotely. Arrangements have been made using Zoom, and two members of CLC staff have been designated as responsible for overseeing the technological aspects of hearings over Zoom, and for supporting panel, other hearing participants and members of the public who may be observing the hearing.

1. 1. If you are taking part in a hearing, you will receive a copy of the joining arrangements one week before the hearing, which will include the steps you need to follow on the day of the hearing to join the meeting. The joining arrangements will also include the name, telephone number and email address of the CLC staff member providing support for the hearing, who will be available to assist with any troubleshooting.   You will be asked to provide the best contact number for you on the day in case there is a need to contact you during the day.

1. 1. For each hearing, there will be a hearing room (where all participants can enter), a separate panel members break out room (where only panel members can enter), a room for the CLC team, and a room for the respondent and their team. You will be provided with the access details for the room(s) you can access.  The chair of the hearing panel will admit participants at the appropriate times, and therefore there will on occasion be a slight wait for access but any delay will be kept to a minimum.

1. 1. Public notice of each hearing will be given in the usual way, through a notice on the CLC website, with instructions on who to contact if someone wishes to observe the hearing remotely. They will be invited to email the CLC support staff member, who will provide them with access details and joining instructions.  The CLC support staff member will have control of their access, which can be terminated at any time in event of any attempt to disrupt the hearing.

1. 1. The hearing will be recorded through the Zoom system, and a transcript automatically prepared after the hearing.

1. 1. The hearing is likely to take a little longer than if it were held face to face, and regular breaks will be taken.

1. After the hearing participants will be asked for their feedback on the process.

Victoria Goodfellow

Adjudication Panel Chair

Council of Licensed Conveyancers

11 May 2020