LAST-minute cancellations of entire court lists are causing "chaos" and are a waste of public money, a solicitor has said.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced recently that all of its members who are court legal advisers (from trainee legal advisers to senior legal managers) and Court Associates were to be invited to take strike action between October 22 and 30.

It comes after the Courts and Tribunal Service pressed ahead with the introduction of an "unpopular" new computer system called Common Platform.

The Leader attended Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning to cover courtroom 2 - which was due to hold a number of hearings including sentences.

But around 15 minutes before the day's hearings were to get underway - with solicitors, a prosecutor and probation staff in court ready - senior legal manager Pauline Liddell announced that all of the courtroom's cases had been cancelled.

Efforts were being made to ensure priority cases were being heard, such as a trials court elsewhere in the building, she added.

But Euros Jones, a partner at GHP Legal and joint head of the firm's criminal law team in Wrexham, said it wasn't the first time this week that an entire day's hearings have been cancelled just before the start of the court business - and he doesn't expect it to be the last during the strikes.

He explained: "Clerks are currently on strike because of a combination of the new court computer system, which they say is not fit for use, and general working conditions.

"We wholeheartedly support their action.

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"But the way the court is expecting everyone to turn up knowing the staff will not be there to run the court is disgraceful.

"Yesterday (Monday) we saw magistrates, prosecutors, solicitors, custody staff, an interpreter, probation staff and defendants all attending - only to be informed at 10am that the court was cancelled.

"We are annoyed that the court is aware that they will be unable to run, but rather than cancel now (in advance) they are continuing at great expense to the public purse and inconveniencing a great deal of court users including defendants who are taking time off work and expense to travel to the court."

He described the situation as "chaos."

In a statement released on Monday, a PCS spokesman said: "Legal advisors and court associates are currently taking nine days of strike action from 22 to 30 October at more than 60 magistrates’ courts in England and Wales over the controversial Common Platform system.

"Today saw three very well attended picket lines at Manchester, Luton and Peterborough and there were indications that a very high number of PCS members have taken part in the strike action. 

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"At the picket lines there was also a lot of support shown by members who work in the courts who are not being called upon to take action in this dispute."

A HM Courts and Tribunals Service spokesperson said: “Common Platform is fundamental to modernising the court system – replacing out-of-date systems and freeing up court staff for other vital work.

“142 employees voted to strike, but we will continue to work closely with all staff to support them through this transition and want to thank all the court staff, judges and others who have contributed to its design and implementation so far.”

The service also issued guidance to state that while there have inevitably been some instances of local disruption, thanks to the hard work of staff who prepared extensive contingency plans, the criminal courts have continued to run.

The guidance continued: "The most urgent cases have been heard and no court buildings have been closed as a result of the strike.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation with all sites regularly reporting on the impact and mitigation.

"No site has closed completely as a result of the strike."