Area Coroner for Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley

• Guidance_Notes_Completing_an_Application_Form_Oct_2024
• Area_Coroner_Appointment_Sefton_St_Helens_Knowsley_2025

Suitably qualified applicants are requested to email their CV and their supporting statement
to recruitment@sefton.gov.uk

Sefton Metropolitan Council is seeking to appoint a part time 3 days per week Area Coroner. This
is a new post.

About the post:
The Area Coroner will work closely with the Senior Coroner to provide judicial leadership to the
coroner team as well as conducting their own coroner investigations and inquests. The area
coroner is the nominated deputy for the Senior Coroner when the Senior Coroner is absent. The
Area Coroner will be expected to be available out of hours on a rota based system. [or as
applicable]

Sefton Metropolitan Council is looking for an exceptional candidate with excellent proven
organisational, management and efficiency skills, as well as experience of exercising sound
judgement and communicating effectively. In this role, you will work closely with the Senior
Coroner and local authority manager to ensure value for money, performance and financial
efficiencies. Collaborative working with the Senior Coroner, local authority, the police and other
stakeholders is essential.

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge and experience of coronial law and of basic
medicine have proven skills in conducting investigations and an understanding of court procedure.
You will also need to demonstrate the excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary
to deal with sensitive situations.

It is desirable that the successful candidate has proven experience of running or sharing running a
coroner’s jurisdiction including carrying out investigations, case management, and conducting
inquests.

Who can apply:
The successful candidate will be a barrister or a solicitor or Fellow of the Institute of Legal
Executives and satisfy the judicial-appointment eligibility condition which means they will have five
years of experience whilst holding that qualification. They will be under the age of 75, have
experience of working as an assistant coroner or area coroner and be subject to the appointment
and eligibility conditions within the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (s.23 and Schedule 3).

Statutory Terms of the Appointment:
Once a Coroner is appointed they are then a Judicial Office holder until they reach the age of
75 years (compulsory retirement age) unless they choose to resign or are removed by the Lord
Chief Justice or Lord Chancellor prior to their 75th birthday.

How to apply:
The candidate pack is available as an attachment

If you wish to have an informal discussion or arrange a visit, please contact Liam Moss – Senior
Coroner’s Officer, on 0151 934 2414
Suitably qualified applicants are requested to email their CV and their supporting statement
to recruitment@sefton.gov.uk

Recruitment Timeline:

Closing date: Midnight on Thursday 18th December 2025
Sift return date: 2nd January 2026- sift scores sent to chief coroner’s office for review, please allow our Judges 2 weeks to approve the results.
Interview invitations will be sent out: W/C 19th January 2026
Interview date: 10th and /or 11th February 2026

If you do not hear by 30th January 2025, please assume you have not been shortlisted.

The interview panel will be:
Anita Bhardwaj – Senior Coroner for Sefton, St Helens & Knowsley
Diane Marshall – Coroners Service Manager, Sefton Council
Jan Bakewell – Director of Legal and Governance, St Helens Council

The 3 days are negotiable but subject to business needs.
We are aiming for the successful candidate to take up post as soon as possible