The extent of the harm caused by the closure of Bedford Magistrates’ Court must be uncovered if there is to be any chance of reversing the decision, according to Bedford Borough Cllr Stephen Moon.
The Judicial Business Group took the decision to transfer criminal cases from Bedford to Luton Magistrates’ Court in 2014 in a move vehemently opposed by councillors, MPs, legal professionals and the Bedfordshire on Sunday. The Ministry of Justice has now confirmed the closure of Bedford Magistrates’ Court by March 2017, meaning the additional loss of civil cases.
At a meeting of Bedford Borough Council on Wednesday (23rd March), Cllr Moon said there needs to be a clear understanding of the implications of the closure for organisations and individuals engaged with the justice system.
Cllr Moon, who is Leader of the Council’s Conservative Group, said:
‘Writing a letter of complaint to the Judicial Business Group simply repeating the arguments we have made previously would be an empty gesture.
‘We need to show instead exactly how access to justice has been damaged, whether this is through increased transport costs for the Council and Bedfordshire Police or the prevalence of witness non-attendances leading to collapsed trials.
‘The Council needs to work with our partners to undertake a thorough review to produce a compelling case for the return of justice to Bedford.’