PCS: Court closures will deny huge areas access to local justice
The announcement today (14 December) that almost all of the courts threatened with closure will be shut will leave large areas of the country without proper access to justice, the Public and Commercial Services union says.
The union is disappointed that its detailed submissions to the Ministry of Justice consultation on courts closures were largely ignored, with the department pressing ahead with plans to drastically reduce the number of magistrates’ and county courts in England and Wales.
The announcement means Wales and other areas of the country, including Cumbria and the east of England will be particularly hard hit, in some cases losing almost all their existing courts, and puts at least 700 staff at risk of losing their jobs at a time when unemployment is rising.
In rejecting the serious concerns the union and others have about local access to justice and the need for courts to serve communities, the minister admitted that more people would have to travel for longer to get to their nearest court.
Increased travel times and more difficult journeys for victims of crime, defendants, witnesses and others involved in court proceedings will inevitably lead to more delays in cases being heard and higher costs.
The union has heavily criticised the consultation, which included factual errors, a lack of quality supporting evidence, flawed information on costs and savings, and left little time for proper scrutiny.
PCS’s alternative case for better collection of court fines and compensation – which the National Audit Office has reported means £1.3 billion currently goes uncollected – has also been ignored.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “This is yet more evidence that the government’s cuts are being driven by choice rather than necessity. We put forward a detailed case in defence of local justice, with a clear alternative to collect the millions of pounds in unpaid fines, which would raise much needed revenue and negate the need to close courts.
“It is a very sad day for justice in England and Wales. Slashing the number of courts by almost a third will fundamentally undermine the long-standing principle that justice is not only done but also seen to be done.”
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Notes
– For information and interview requests contact PCS national press officer Richard Simcox on 020 7801 2747 or 07833 978216
– The Public and Commercial Services union represents civil and public servants in central government. It has more than 300,000 members in over 200 departments and agencies, as well as staff in parts of government transferred to the private sector. PCS is the UK’s sixth largest union and is affiliated to the TUC. The general secretary is Mark Serwotka and the president is Janice Godrich
– Follow PCS on Twitter
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