Act now to save court - final chance to sign online petition
TIME is running out for people to back a vigorously-fought campaign to save Harborough Magistrates' Court from the cost-cutting axe.
A well-managed appeal to safeguard the principles of local justice was launched on July 1 but just seven days remain for people to add their support.
Concerned magistrates, the Harborough Mail, solicitors and a cross-party selection of politicians have joined forces in an attempt to save the district's court.
Sign petition by clicking here.
The coalition Government announced in June that Harborough's court, in Doddridge Road, was one of 103 across the UK threatened with closure as part of Government money-saving measures.
The proposal has provoked an angry backlash and campaigners have been fighting the plan robustly. Many of the arguments for retaining the town's court are covered in this feature including a measured and highly-convincing column penned by our magistrates' chairman Martin Russell.
If the court was to be shut, it would mean cases being dealt with in Leicester and worried campaigners say this would not only incur travel costs and pile on inconvenience for magistrates, defendants, police, court reporters, witnesses and the Probation Service but it would also erode the historic principle of "justice being seen to be done" locally.
Mr Russell, a magistrate of 20 years' standing, has helped to compile an extensive report on why the court should be retained and this has now been sent to Her Majesty's Court Service. It is being backed by similar reports from the police, Harborough District Council, Leicestershire County Council and the Harborough Mail.
Mr Russell said: "I joined this bench to serve the community and I believe passionately in local justice for local people. There has been a groundswell of public support and I would like to thank everyone who has helped with the campaign."
The town's court sits every Thursday and every other Tuesday. Its hours were already scaled back earlier this year after the previous Government enforced cuts. There has been a court system in Harborough for centuries and a physical court building from the mid-19th century.
The Doddridge Road courthouse was formerly a police station and saw extensive refurbishment in 1994.
It is not too late to help back the campaign. If you have been helped by the court, as a victim of crime or in any other capacity, the deadline for submitting comments is next Wednesday, September 15.
Write to Miss Olwen Kershaw, HMCS East Midlands, Nottingham Magistrates' Court, Carrington Street, Nottingham NG2 1EE.
Sign petition here.
What happens next?
After next Wednesday's deadline, the Government's justice department will start the process of wading through all the submissions sent to it from the 103 areas threatened with court closures.
HMCS has said that no decision will be made this year and has indicated to magistrates that the crunch announcement will probably be made in early 2011.
In recent years when the Labour Government undertook UK-wide consultations on controversial measures, it refused to release the date as to when the final judgements would be made .
Recent examples involving the Harborough district include the eco-town announcement of 2009 and the Connaught Road post office reprieve in Harborough in 2008. In both cases, the announcement dates were kept secret and left campaigners in limbo for several months over the future of their campaigns.
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Weather for Harborough
Monday 21 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
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