Plea over Shropshire court closures threat
A campaign group today called on the Government to guarantee that people in rural parts of Shropshire will not be cut off from accessing courts if any are closed across the county. A campaign group today called on the Government to guarantee that people in rural parts of Shropshire will not be cut off from accessing courts if any are closed across the county. Ludlow, Oswestry and Market Drayton magistrates courts, along with Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Ludlow county courts, are on a list under scrutiny as the Government grapples with reducing Britain's £155 billion deficit. A total of 54 county courts and 103 magistrates courts are on a list of ones earmarked for closure to save about £36 million a year. Across Shropshire the cuts would result in the loss of 16 jobs but save the Government more than £430,000.
A campaign group today called on the Government to guarantee that people in rural parts of Shropshire will not be cut off from accessing courts if any are closed across the county.
Ludlow, Oswestry and Market Drayton magistrates courts, along with Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Ludlow county courts, are on a list under scrutiny as the Government grapples with reducing Britain's £155 billion deficit.
A total of 54 county courts and 103 magistrates courts are on a list of ones earmarked for closure to save about £36 million a year.
Across Shropshire the cuts would result in the loss of 16 jobs but save the Government more than £430,000.
Today the not-for-profit Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (Apil) urged the Ministry of Justice to provide a guarantee that all county court hearings would take place within 20 working days of a preliminary application being issued if proposals to close courts across England and Wales go ahead.
The group also called for assurances that people in rural communities would not be cut off from accessing the courts completely.
The association's president Muiris Lyons said: "We all know public finances are under severe pressure, but the Government must ensure that people living in Shropshire continue to have proper access to justice.
"A guarantee should be given to the public that no- one should have to wait more than 20 working days for their case to be heard at a county court after a preliminary application has been issued."
He added: "The Government must ensure that people are not left waiting for justice and that those living in rural communities are not cut off from accessing the courts completely."
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The consultation period on the court estate proposals for magistrates and county courts in England and Wales closed on September 15. The consultations are part of the process to review how justice might in the future best be delivered in each area across England and Wales.
"The responses to each document will now be studied in detail, including consideration of alternative proposals from respondents, and the impact of each proposed closure analysed fully.
"Recommendations will then be made to the Lord Chancellor who will decide, in each case, whether or not to close the courts and whether to merge any local justice areas."
By John Kirk
