Davey in last ditch battle to save Kingston's Court

6.12.02

Local MPs win ministerial meeting as appeal enters final stages

Kingston and Surbiton's Lib Dem MP, Edward Davey, and Dr Jenny Tonge, Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park, are to lead a Kingston delegation to the Lord Chancellor's Department on Thursday December 12th in a last ditch attempt to save Kingston's Magistrates' Court.

Kingston Council have appealed against the decision this summer by the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority to close Kingston's historic magistrates courts. That decision had been taken in the face of fierce opposition from MPs Edward Davey and Jenny Tonge, along with many others in the local community.

Ministers at the Lord Chancellor's Department are currently assessing the appeal and are likely to take a final decision just before Christmas or early in the New Year. Kingston's Liberal Democrat MPs hope that a final push might just make the difference. The meeting has been scheduled with Yvette Cooper, the Parliamentary Secretary at the Lord Chancellor's Department, who Edward Davey has previously lobbied on this matter and who is likely to take the final decision.

Edward Davey commented:

"I'm pleased the Minister has agreed to hear our case in person. I'm determined we try absolutely everything to save our courts.

"Local justice for local people is not only an important principle, but it's something the people of Kingston have enjoyed for centuries. Why we must give it up now, when we have a perfectly good courthouse and a busy one at that, has never been properly explained.

"The local campaign has been absolutely brilliant - with the magistrates, the Kingston Society and many other local people joining in. Yet now we have reached the crunch moment.

"People need to remember that if we don't win this fight, it's not just the defendants that will have to travel to Wimbledon. It will be the victims, their families and the witnesses.

"Worse still for the wider community, police officers, probation officers, social workers and many others will have to waste time and money going to Kingston. It's been estimated we could lose the equivalent of 1 or 2 police officers alone if this madness goes ahead.

"We will be preparing our case very hard for this meeting. Now we have at last received the GLMCA's inadequate response to the Council's appeal our arguments can be well-marshalled."