Hackney to re-examine barristers panel

Hackney was the first local authority in the UK to set up a panel of barristers, formalising the roster of around 15 chambers in ­September 2006. Sets on the current list include 4 Brick Court, 39 Essex Street and Tanfield Chambers.

Edila said she is not ­necessarily looking to reduce the number of ­chambers on the list, but would be focusing of getting better value for money.

“There’s financial pressure on us,” she conceded. “We want quality, but at a good price. We really have to move away from high profit margins, because we are public sector after all.”

Edila, who joined ­Hackney from the London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea at the beginning of this year, plans to finalise the new panel by 2010.