From 01 September 2020 to 28 February 2021 our service desks saw 9,260 clients...

We went back to Covid level two between 15 – 17 February 2021 and again from 28 February for seven days which necessitated suspending our service desks. The CJPA policy relating to Covid is clearly understood and appreciated by all.

From 01 September 2020 to 28 February 2021 our service desks saw 9,260 clients, worked 1,343 voluntary hours, processed 22,572 certified copies, 3,536 declarations, 340 affidavits and handled 1,248 other documents.

In the same period last year, we saw 9,037 clients.

It was wonderful to have Peter Hines back on our Parklands team and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and Sally Thompson on the 19th of February. The three of us easily handled the 36 clients we saw between 12 noon and 2 pm that day. The cup of tea the library staff made for us was appreciated too.

We are sorry to say goodbye to Grant McFadden and thank him sincerely for all his work at Parklands.

We need to build up our team numbers at Parklands. We work there on Fridays between 12 noon and 2 pm. If you could lend a hand once a month or so we would really appreciate it. Parklands Library is a valued community library with excellent staff who really look after us.

Contact our Parklands coordinator April Lander on 027 584 3421 for further details.

Christchurch South
We need some extra help here too, please. Our desk operates every Tuesday between 10 am and 1 pm.

There is a wonderful café at Christchurch South library adding to the warm, welcoming environment of the library.

Contact our Christchurch South coordinator John Pauwels on 021 636 282 or 03 332 6484 to have a chat.

Rangiora
We are trialling having two Justices work together starting the beginning of March. Neil Falconer has a great team all prepared to help each other.

Kaiapoi
Neill Price our Kaiapoi coordinator (lead photo) knows first hand that our Kaiapoi JPs get a lot of work “after hours” as a large number of residents in Kaiapoi and surrounding areas commute into Christchurch for work.

He has started a Saturday service desk at Kaiapoi library (in addition to our Tuesday service) operating from 10 am to 12 noon. We will monitor the number of clients using the desk for three months to see if the desk is well utilised.

In our JP Community
Do you remember when you were first appointed and sworn in as a Justice of the Peace? I do. I couldn’t wait for the first client to ring me but it was a long wait. All my newly acquired skills felt like they were languishing.

In 2015 Stephen Phillips invited me to join the Linwood JP Service desk. At this time we only had one Justice rostered and I turned up very inexperienced and apprehensive with my Ministerial manual to the fore.

Aware that there is a delay between being appointed and being sworn in,  and then actually getting JP work to do, we are trialling offering newly appointed Justices not yet sworn in, the opportunity to sit in and observe a service desk. This gives them the chance to see the vast number of different documents we handle and ask any questions they might have. Note they can only observe, not help, as they are not sworn in JPs yet.

We believe this will help them enormously as they will feel supported, get to know other Justices, see first hand a variety of documents and the plus for us is, they might join one of our service desk teams which will help us keep our numbers up. Currently, we have five appointed, but not sworn in, Justices sitting in to observe on our Parklands, Lincoln, Bishopdale, Rolleston and Shirley desks.

Thanks
We sincerely thank all coordinators and service desk team members who are assisting with the five new appointed Justices trialling this.

Our thanks go to all our desk coordinators who are Neville Brown, John Pauwels, Ray Pearson, Liz Beaven, Bronwyn Welsh, Neil Falconer, Rod Paton, Bob Macgregor, Tony Gemmill, Neill Price, Jean Taylor, Di Woodward, Murray Spackman, Wendy Doody, April Lander, Neil Shewan, Isobel Whyte, Brent Philip and Val Peak for your work organising rosters and coordinating your service desk teams. You all work closely with me and I am appreciative of all your help. 

A huge thank you from us and also from members of the public to your teams. You all generously donate your time and skills to serve the public and represent the Canterbury Justices of the Peace Association so well.

Easter
It is nearly time to celebrate Easter. Our service desks will not operate on Good Friday 02 April or Easter Monday 05 April as the libraries will be closed.

Very best wishes to everyone for a happy and safe Easter.

Gwen Mitchell
CJPA Service Desk Convener
0274 589 178
clareview3@xtra.co.nz