Future of Blandford courthouse is looking uncertain (From Bournemouth Echo)

Future of Blandford courthouse is looking uncertain

7:00pm Sunday 25th July 2010 in

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THE future of Blandford court looks bleak, according to a town councillor who also serves as a magistrate.

Cllr Mike Owen told a town council meeting on Monday that forming a working group to respond to a consultation on the proposed closure would be a pointless exercise.

Her Majesty’s Court Services (HMCS) is proposing to close magistrates courts in Blandford, Poole and Wimborne, claiming under-use.

“Blandford Court will shut. It is used once a fortnight.

“Our court utilisation throughout Dorset is 38 per cent.

“We can’t justify keeping Blandford court,” said Cllr Owen.

He said a recent sitting at the Salisbury Road court had heard 70 traffic offences, for which only 11 defendants chose to attend.

Just two of the 11 attendees were from Blandford, he said.

Concerns were raised by councillors at the meeting about the proposed closure of Wimborne Magistrates Court, which some felt was a realistic alternative to Blandford for people reliant on public transport.

Cllr Sylvia Hixon-Andrews said there was “no way” a disabled person reliant on public transport could reach the court in Dorchester “let alone Weymouth”.

Court bosses have argued that continuing to operate the seven courts under review in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire will cost £1 million a year, plus a further £1.4 million in maintenance costs.

Simon Townley, HMCS’s area director, said: “Spending money to keep underused and unsuitable courts open where there is no business need is unfair to taxpayers and users of the court.”

He said that some courts did not have appropriate facilities for victims and witnesses, secure facilities for prisoners, or suitable access for disabled people.

The review ends on September 15 2010.