Government publishes final list of courts set for closure

December 15, 2010

The government has published its list of 93 magistrates' courts and 49 county courts in England and Wales which it says will close under the its shake-up of the courts system.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Justice Minister Jonathan Djanogly said that £22m of the money saved by court closures (estimated at £41.5m across the spending period plus a possible £38.5m from the sale of assets) would be reinvested in the surviving courts to "improve and modernise courts in the future”.

He said: "It's unacceptable that dozens of buildings never intended to be, and not fit to be, modern court buildings are still in use. And it is undesirable that in the current financial position that the taxpayer continues to fund buildings that offer outdated and inadequate facilities to victims and indeed to witnesses.

"Reform of the courts and court estate, allied with the reforms of sentencing and rehabilitation, and changes to the system of legal aid that the government has announced will make a more intelligent, more proportionate and much more cost-effective justice system.”

The government said that the reduction in the total number of courts from 503 to 361 would increase utilisation rates at surviving magistrates courts from 64% (in 2009/10) to around 75%, while increasing the number of sitting days in county courts from 180 per courtroom in 2009/10 to around 200. It said that changes to the system would mean 85% of people in England and Wales would still have access to their nearest court within an hour via public transport. The present figure is 90%.

The list, which follows a consultation exercise earlier in the year, is as follows:

North-west

Magistrates' courts:
Northwich Magistrates' Court, Southport Magistrates' Court, Knowsley Magistrates' Court, Whitehaven Magistrates' Court, Penrith Magistrates' Court, Rawtenstall Magistrates' Court, Salford Magistrates' Court, Rochdale Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Northwich County Court, Southport County Court, Penrith County Court, Runcorn County Court, Whitehaven County Court, Rawtenstall County Court, Chorley County Court, Salford County Court.

North East

Magistrates' courts:
Guisborough Magistrates' Court, Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court
Tynedale Magistrates' Court, Alnwick Magistrates' Court, Blaydon Magistrates' Court, Gosforth Magistrates' Court, Houghton Le Spring Magistrates' Court, Goole Magistrates' Court, Selby Magistrates' Court, Batley And Dewsbury Magistrates' Court, Keighley Magistrates' Court Sitting At The Bingley Court House,
Pontefract Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Bishop Auckland County Court, Consett County Court, Goole County Court, Pontefract County Court, Keighley County Court, Dewsbury County Court.

Wales:

Magistrates' courts:
Barry Magistrates' Court, Aberdare Magistrates' Court, Llwynypia Magistrates' Court, Ammanford Magistrates' Court, Cardigan Magistrates' Court, Llandovery Magistrates' Court, Denbigh Magistrates' Court, Pwllheli Magistrates' Court, Flint Magistrates' Court, Chepstow Magistrates' Court, Abertillery Magistrates' Court, Llangefni Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Chepstow County Court, Aberdare County Court, Rhyl County Court, Pontypool County Court.

Midlands

Magistrates' courts:
Halesowen Magistrates' Court, Sutton Coldfield Magistrates' Court, West Bromwich Magistrates' Court, Rugby Magistrates' Court, Stoke Magistrates' Court, Tamworth Magistrates' Court, Ludlow Magistrates' Court, Market Drayton Magistrates' Court, Oswestry Magistrates' Court, Ilkeston Magistrates' Court, Newark Magistrates' Court, Retford Magistrates' Court, Coalville Magistrates' Court, Market Harborough Magistrates' Court, Melton Mowbray Magistrates' Court, Towcester Magistrates' Court, Daventry Magistrates' Court, Rutland Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Rugby County Court, Stourbridge County Court, Stratford-Upon-Avon County Court, Newark County Court, Worksop County Court, Melton Mowbray County Court, Wellingborough County Court, Grantham County Court, Skegness County Court, Tamworth County Court, Oswestry County Court, Ludlow County Court, Shrewsbury County Court, Evesham County Court, Redditch County Court, Burton-Upon-Trent County Court, Kidderminster County Court.

South West

Magistrates' courts:
Frome Magistrates' Court, Bridgwater Magistrates' Court, Liskeard Magistrates' Court, Camborne Magistrates' Court, Totnes Magistrates' Court, Honiton Magistrates' Court, Penzance Magistrates' Court, Blandford Forum Magistrates' Court, Wimborne Magistrates' Court, Coleford Magistrates' Court, Cirencester Magistrates' Court, Andover Magistrates' Court, Alton Magistrates' Court, Lyndhurst Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Cheltenham County Court, Penzance County Court, Trowbridge County Court, Poole County Court.

South East

Magistrates' courts:
Grays Magistrates' Court, Epping Magistrates' Court, Ely Magistrates' Court, Wisbech Magistrates' Court,
Thetford Magistrates' Court, Cromer Magistrates' Court, Swaffham Magistrates' Court, Sudbury Magistrates' Court, Ashford Magistrates' Court, Sittingbourne Magistrates' Court, Epsom Magistrates' Court,
Woking Magistrates' Court, Mid-Sussex Magistrates' Court, Lewes Magistrates' Court, Bicester Magistrates' Court, Hemel Hempstead Magistrates' Court, Witney Magistrates' Court, Amersham Magistrates' Court, Didcot Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Ashford County Court, Gravesend County Court, Haywards Heath County Court, Epsom County Court, Huntingdon County Court, Harlow County Court, Lowestoft County Court, Newbury County Court, Hitchin County Court.

London

Magistrates' courts;
Acton Magistrates' Court, Haringey Magistrates' Court (Highgate), Harrow Magistrates' Court, Sutton Magistrates' Court, Barking Magistrates' Court, Brentford Magistrates' Court, Kingston Magistrates' Court, Woolwich Magistrates' Court, Balham Youth Court, Tower Bridge Magistrates' Court.

County courts:
Ilford County Court

Courts saved from closure

Just 15 courts included in the government's original list contained in the consultation paper have been spared the axe. These are:

County courts: