Last ditch effort to save Kingston's Courts

5.3.03

MP and Council make final submission to Minister - decision expected shortly

The long-running fight to save Kingston's Magistrates' Courts from closure entered its final stage this week, when Kingston Council entered a joint submission with Kingston's Magistrates, backed by the Borough's two Liberal Democrat MPs, Edward Davey and Jenny Tonge. The MPs are expecting the Minister at the Lord Chancellor's Department, Yvette Cooper MP, to make her decision within weeks, possibly days.

The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority first proposed closing Kingston's Courts over a year ago, and local campaigners have been working with MPs Edward Davey and Jenny Tonge ever since to stop the closure.

If the closure goes ahead, Kingston will lose its 800 year long tradition of a magistrates' court and local people will be forced to travel to Wimbledon for many small legal matters. Huge amounts of police time - along with the time of residents, social workers, the CPS and the probation service - will be lost, and the effect on Kingston could amount to a loss of the equivalent of 2 police officers per week.

Edward Davey MP commented:

"If we lose our local courts, it will be a big blow to the fight against crime in Kingston.

"We need our local courts for local justice, to deal with offences ranging from shoplifting in our town centre to youth offenders across the Borough. Closing the courts would undermine recent efforts to get more police on the streets and crack down on crime across the board.

"This final submission is the last stage in a battle that gone on for well over a year. I believe we have an extremely powerful case, put together after more meetings than I care to remember.

"Not only has our research been detailed, but we have lobbied the Minister directly at two formal meetings at the Department, raised the matter with Tony Blair at Prime Minister's Questions and in parliamentary debates.

"I believe an issue of this importance to Kingston's fight against crime has deserved this attention.

"Whether the decision goes with us or against us, I would like to pay tribute to all those who've worked tirelessly for this campaign, from Ian Rathjen, Chairman of our local bench, to Councillor Roger Hayes, Leader of Kingston Council, and from the Kingston upon Thames Society to the many local residents who have written and signed petitions. This has truly been a community campaign, and we deserve to win."