Panel will choose new assistant coroner for North West Wales

The person appointed to the role will be asked to assist the area’s coroner in recording and investigating sudden, unexpected and violent deaths within the jurisdiction of Anglesey and Gwynedd.

The former post holder, Nicola Jones, was recently appointed by the Queen to become a Circuit Judge based at Cardiff Crown Court.

Admitted as a solicitor in 1992, the 49-year-old is now known as Her Honour Judge Nicola Jones since taking up her new role on February 25.

In August, Gwynedd Council formally took over control of the North West Wales Coroner service in a bid to ‘streamline’ the service it offers.

It was previously provided at arms length, jointly funded by Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey councils, but staff have now been brought ‘in-house’ under direct Gwynedd Council’s employment with Anglesey paying a costs contribution.

The senior coroner, Dewi Pritchard Jones, previously ran the service from a solicitor’s company office in Caernarfon.

But following his retirement as a working solicitor, an alternative arrangement was required, with I.T and office service now provided by Gwynedd Council.

Cllr Nia Jeffreys, the portfolio holder for corporate affairs, welcomed Nicola Jones’ appointment but sought cabinet support to kick start the appointment process.

“This is a part time role to assist the coroner and is a statutory requirement of this authority,” she said on Tuesday, confirming that the panel process was a new one for this particular role.

Iwan Evans, the authority’s solicitor, confirmed that the same process was undertaken by Denbighshire when appointing in the north east Wales jurisdiction.

Gwynedd Council’s cabinet unanimously approved a request to work with the coroner in preparing a job and personal specification and to then establish a panel to draw up a short list and interview applicants to facilitate the appointment of the new assistant coroner.