Magistrates’ Court and County Court Set To Close

Christopher Pincher says announcement is a bitter disappointment

Tamworth’s MP, Christopher Pincher, has said he is “bitterly disappointed” that Tamworth’s heavily used magistrates’ court, along with its county court, are to close as the government takes steps to deal with Britain’s mountainous debt.

Justice Minister, Jonathan Djanogly MP, announced the closures in a statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon.  Tamworth magistrate cases will move to Burton from April 2011 and county court proceedings will move to Burton and then to Stafford once Burton county court closes in three year’s time.

Mr. Pincher said:
“The state of the public finances notwithstanding, many people in Tamworth will be bitterly disappointed by the loss of both our county court and our magistrates’ court, which is the most utilised court in Staffordshire.  What assurances can my hon.Friend give my constituents that the video-link technology between courts and police stations will be rolled out quickly so that our police will not spend all their time on the A38 to Burton, and that vulnerable people who will have to spend a day-long round trip going to Stafford county court will not have justice put beyond their means?“

In response the Minister, Mr. Djanogly, said:
“The court is closing because it has a sitting day allocation of only 76 days, and the work will transfer to Burton magistrates’ court. I can tell my hon. Friend that we will be pushing ahead with the additional use of technology, which we see as the future. As things stand, the Courts Service does not make adequate use of modern technology. “

Afterwards, Mr. Pincher commented:
“This is a huge disappointment to everyone in Tamworth who campaigned so hard to keep our county and magistrates’ courts.  We all understand that the terrible financial state in which our country has been left makes the need to find savings inevitable so we can balance our books.  But I cannot help feeling that this decision could make justice harder in our town.”

“I will keep a close watch on the amount of time our police need to spend going to Burton.  I am pleased the government will make more use of video links so our officers will not need to spend so much time in court but it must be made available quickly.  I am also relieved that the county court will not be moved as far away as Stafford for another three years – but the plan is still to move it first to Burton and then Stafford.  If we find any delay or diminution in justice, I will call upon the Justice Secretary to take action.”