MP BLASTS 'SHORT SIGHTED' PLANS TO CLOSE LOCAL COURTS

Friday, 25 June 2010

John Pugh has lambasted plans by the Ministry of Justice to shut 93 year old North Sefton Magistrates Court and Southport County Court. 

The plans have been made because the Ministry believes it can save about £160K per year by closing the courts and transferring cases to Bootle. The 72 Magistrates would then be transferred to the South Sefton bench.  "This will be represented as a cost saving measure but far and away the biggest unnecessary cost to the Magistrate's Courts is the time wasted when defendants don't appear on time or at all ,and legal staff are left kicking their heels," says John.  "The cost of 'no shows' is massive. I dont see how moving the courts further away is going to help matters. Like closing local tax offices, it looks like bogus efficiency." Read the full story in the Southport Visiter.