Winsford fights to save courts from the axe (From Winsford Guardian)

Winsford fights to save courts from the axe

8:30am Wednesday 28th July 2010

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WINSFORD town councillors have joined the campaign to save the future of Northwich Magistrates’ Court.

Town mayor, Malcolm Gaskill, called plans to close the magistrates and county courts on Chester Way ‘ridiculous’.

This is the second time in 10 years the courts have faced the axe and, if implemented, will see all of its cases and staff relocated to either Chester, Runcorn or Crewe.

At a meeting of Winsford town council, on Monday, July 19, Lib Dem members agreed unanimously to campaign against the plans to shut the 41-year-old courts.

Town mayor Malcolm Gaskill said: “I don’t think transferring the legal courts to Chester is the right thing to do.

“The transport links are just not good enough.

“If you’ve got to be in court by nine o’clock in the morning you would have to leave by six am.

If you’re asked to give evidence – and I’ve done it myself – you often look for reasons not to go, moving it to Chester will make things really difficult for people.

“Whilst I’m weary about the courts closing I think a better option would be for them to move to Crewe, it’s the obvious place for convenience and ease of travel with the bus and train services that go there.”

However, not all councillors were convinced that even Crewe provided a reasonable alternative.

Clr Parkey said: “There is reasonable links to Crewe form Winsford but that doesn’t apply to Northwich and the surrounding villages in the area.”

The councillors also called upon a letter written by Chris Johnson, solicitor and partner at Moss Haselhurst, which stated: “The closure will have an adverse effect upon mid Cheshire.

“We are already seeing a removal of social resources from mid Cheshire to Chester, namely the redeployment of personnel from the former Vale Royal council and Northwich Social Services.

“Indeed the proposals take no account whatsoever of anywhere other than Northwich.

“All the statistics for public transport quote only the train and bus times from Northwich, conveniently ignoring Winsford and the numerous villages which make up the majority of the area.”

Town mayor, Malcolm Gaskill said that despite not talking closely with Mr Johnson, he was “entirely in tune with what he says.”

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