Decision details
Consultation on Proposals to Close Southport (North Sefton) Magistrates' Court and Southport County Court
Decision Maker: Southport Area Committee, Cabinet
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Decisions:
Further to Minute No. 48 (2) of 28 July 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Head of Corporate Legal Services on the proposed closure of North Sefton (Southport) Magistrates’ Court and Southport County Court.
The report indicated that on 23 June 2010, the Secretary of State for Justice had produced a written ministerial statement announcing a consultation on the most strategic locations for Magistrates’ and County Courts in England and Wales, as detailed in Annexes A and C. The consultation, which was to run until 15 September 2010, invited comments on the closure of the courts.
The proposals were:
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(a) |
to continue to operate a Magistrates’ Court in Bootle (South Sefton) but to close Southport (North Sefton) Magistrates’ Court and to merge the North and South Sefton Local Justice areas to create a single Sefton Local Justice area; and
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(b) |
to close Southport County Court and to transfer the bulk of its workload to the Civil and Family Justice Centre in Liverpool, with work in relation to some parishes to the north of Southport being transferred to Preston County Court. |
The detailed proposals contained in Consultation Paper CP03/10, attached at Annex B to the report, invited views on the proposals and stated that the Secretary of State would “Take all views expressed into account before making any decision on whether or which courts ought to be closed as part of the rationalisation”.
The report concluded by indicating that the Council was a regular user of both North and South Sefton Magistrates’ Courts but rarely, if ever, used Southport County Court; that the Council was allocated one half day per week at South Sefton Magistrates’ Court and one half day every other week at North Sefton (Southport), these being the miscellaneous or non-Crown Prosecution Service Courts.
RESOLVED:
That the Cabinet be recommended to forward the following response to Her Majesty’s Court Service (HMCS):
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(1) |
‘The Council is strongly of the view that it is in the Community’s interest to maintain a viable Magistrates’ and County Court presence in Southport.
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(2) |
The Council understands the issues regarding the case for the Court Service vacating the current building in Hoghton Street, but the Council believes that there is a strong case for the County Court to be relocated to the Magistrates’ Court, which would still save the £160,000 in premises-related costs referred to in the consultation document. The Council request that this be further investigated and provided as a response to the consultation.
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(3) |
North Sefton Magistrates’ Court is situated in an art deco building located between Southport’s Police and Fire Service Stations. The Council requires confirmation that consideration has been given to the ongoing use of the building should the Magistrates’ Court be relocated.
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(4) |
The Council is of the opinion that before any decision is made, HMCS be requested to provide a detailed analysis of the on-going financial implications of maintaining an empty building, including security, heating, lighting and maintenance costs.
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(5) |
In the event that HMCS make a decision to relocate the court buildings from Southport, this Council would prefer that the County Court be relocated to Liverpool rather than Preston’.
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Publication date: 09/09/2010
Date of decision: 01/09/2010
Decided at meeting: 01/09/2010 - Southport Area Committee
Effective from: 17/09/2010
Accompanying Documents:
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