Keep Law Local

Kingston's Magistrates' Courts are threatened with closure. We must stop that.

If Government gets its way, the principle of local justice, delivered by magistrates who know their patch, will be undermined. Local people will have to travel to Wimbledon or Richmond. A listed building will stand idle, costing local taxpayers thousands. Kingston's 800 year history of magistrates' courts will end.

Why? Last year, the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority (GLMCA) reviewed all London's courthouses. It decided there were too many: some had to close, including Kingston's. All to save money, which, the quango says, will go to improve remaining courts. Well, we've heard that before.

I've been so concerned that I called a debate in the Commons last October. When I tested their argument by asking the Minister to guarantee me the Treasury would not claw back savings, he would not do so.

But if we are to win, we must argue our case well.

Our first argument is simple: the GLMCA have got their figures wrong. They claim Kingston's court is not well used. Yet Home Office figures show it processed more indictable cases than either Richmond or Wimbledon in 2000.

Our second argument is positive: the local magistrates' bench has alternative plans to improve the quality of the court buildings, with greater privacy for witnesses, victims and their families.

To find out more, and to tell me your views, click here.

With enough pressure, we may yet save our courts.