Call to hire out town halls as courts

The proposals, which have been submitted to ministers, would ensure minimal disruption for victims, witnesses and police officers, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

The Ministry of Justice is considering closing up to 103 magistrates' courts and 54 county courts across England and Wales in a bid to cut costs and improve efficiency as part of the Government's spending review.

Mehboob Khan, chair of the LGA's safer and stronger communities board, said: "Many town hall chambers would provide the perfect setting for court hearings, with some having existing courtroom facilities.

"Local authorities are well aware of the sensitivities of keeping victims and witnesses safe. Although specialist courts are needed in some cases, in the vast majority of court cases, council buildings would be more than adequate.

"It would certainly overcome the problem for rural communities and could maybe provide a boost for council budgets."

The LGA said it was concerned that the planned court closures could raise serious issues over the time taken for cases to come to court and for witnesses and victims to attend.