Transportation of Bodies on Behalf of the Coroner for Cornwall & The Isles of Scilly

The Coroner for Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly is required to arrange the removal of bodies from the place of death to a designated mortuary or body holding facility in order to allow the investigation into any sudden, unexpected or unnatural deaths reported to them under The Coroner’s & Justice Act 2009. Cornwall's Senior Coroner manages the strategy for body transportation. The Police Control Centre or (occasionally) a Coroner’s Officer will instruct a service provider for collections from scene to a mortuary. Cornwall Council, the responsible body, uses a competitive tender process to appoint these service providers, ensuring efficient transport of bodies within the county, to Devon, or even nationally, as needed. The Council commissions this statutory service and the current contract is due to expire on 31/03/26. A new tender process needs to be completed.