This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New mediation projects move ahead
22/08/2005
Two new pilot in-court mediation projects Aberdeen and
Glasgow Sheriff Courts and a funding package for the
Scottish Mediation Network was announced today.
The proejcts will provide assistance with small civil
disputes, helping people to resolve problems without going
through court proceedings.
The details of the pilot services are being finalised
but it is hoped that the Glasgow pilot will be up and
running later this year, with the Aberdeen pilot likely to
commence early next year.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said:
"Going to court can be a stressful, time-consuming and
expensive process and I am delighted to be able to support
the constructive process of mediation.
"Obviously for some problems mediation is not the answer
and going to court might be the better option, but the
Executive greatly supports efforts to promote other ways of
dealing with many different types of complaint.
"The funding we are providing for these new pilots and
for the Scottish Mediation Network demonstrate our ongoing
commitment to supporting the expansion of mediation in
Scotland and the benefits that it can provide for those who
have disputes they wish to settle."
The new court projects will each cost around £30,000 a
year and follow the first in-court mediation pilot based at
Edinburgh Sheriff Court which has been in operation in its
present form since 2003.
In the last two years over 100 people have been helped
to find alternative ways to deal with disputes without
having to resort to court action.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court has two new dedicated mediation
rooms funded by the Executive which were opened in
July.
Marjorie Mantle, mediation co-ordinator at Edinburgh,
said:
"We are delighted to receive the support from the
Executive to open the new rooms. The rooms show that
in-court mediation is going from strength to strength, with
thanks to the support from the Sheriff Principal and the
Court officials."
The Scottish Mediation Network will receive nearly
£180,000 of funding over the next two years to pay for a
number of projects aimed at raising public awareness and
develop a quality assurance framework across all spheres of
mediation.
SMN Chair Ian McDonough said:
"Mediations usually produce solutions for disputes which
everyone can live with. However, people need to know that
mediation is an option open to them, so we are excited that
the Scottish Executive had decided to fund our Public
Awareness project.
"This Executive funding will allow us to develop a
framework for assuring the quality of all forms of
mediation in Scotland. This work will put Scotland at the
forefront of developing mediation standards in Europe."
Mediation services are used by individuals, small
companies and larger firms and organisations. Disputes are
mostly over debts, or alleged debts and the two most common
areas of dispute are unsatisfactory goods or services and
landlord/tenant matters.
The Edinburgh in-court mediation service is currently
funded by the Executive and managed by the Citizens Advice
Bureau. The Executive provided £38,000 of funding for the
new mediation rooms. Mediation meetings are all carried out
by a panel of qualified mediators.
The SMN provides links between practicing mediators and
providers of mediation services. The main aim of the SMN
since 2002 has been to support and assist the movement of
mediation into the mainstream of dispute resolution
options.
The new funding for the SMN is made up in the following
way:
£67,613 will be awarded from September 2005 to March
2006, and a further £110,820 for year two of these projects
up to March 2007. Funding for further years will be subject
to evaluation of the impact and effect of the projects.