Yorkshire courts face closure in costs drive

THE Government is considering closing six magistrates courts and six county courts in Yorkshire as part of a plan to update the system and cut costs.

Ministers announced yesterday a consultation process on whether to shut 103 magistrates courts and 54 county courts around the country considered "underused and inadequate".

The magistrates courts affected in Yorkshire are Goole, Selby, Skipton, Keighley sitting at Bingley Court House, Batley and Dewsbury, and Pontefract, while the county courts at Barnsley, Goole, Skipton, Pontefract, Keighley and Dewsbury are under threat.

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Courts Minister Jonathan Djanogly said: "When public finances are under pressure it is vital to eliminate waste and reduce costs."

He said the Government was committed to supporting local justice and magistrates were the "bedrock of our justice system".

But he added: The arrangements we have are historical and now need to be re-assessed to ask whether they properly meet the needs of communities as they are today – we increasingly use the Internet and e-mail to communicate and access services and we travel further to work, for leisure and to do our weekly shop.

"We now have the opportunity to think afresh about how we can create a more modern, fit-for-purpose justice system in line with the way we live our lives today."

He said not all disputes need to be resolved in court and he would be exploring ways to better harness technology.