Councillors to discuss proposed Selby court closure

The magistrates’ court is one of 103 across the country that has been lined up for closure by Her Majesty’s Court Service (HMCS), which claims that closing the court will improve efficiency.

It has also said that the court costs £130,566 a year to operate and that by closing it the need for HMCS investment in backlog maintenance of around £100,000 would be lifted.

A consultation has been launched to get reaction to the proposals and The Press has launched a campaign to save Selby’s courthouse.

In the report to members of North Yorkshire County Council’s Selby area committee which meets on Monday, council officers say HMCS have made various omissions in the closure proposal. This will mean difficulties for people who need to use the court.

The report said: “Only 17 per cent of the district’s population live in Selby and the document overlooks the fact that the Selby Magistrates’ Court serves a large rural area: travelling distances and times have not been taken into account for people living in the south of the district where public transport connections are poorer.”

If cases are moved to York then travel and mileage claims will be higher and there is a greater chance of witnesses needing to take days off work. Council officers say “it is not apparent that the government has taken these factors into account when calculating the cost savings of closing the Selby Magistrates’ Court”.

There is also the issue of the £820,000 upgrade recently carried out and the fact that although crime rates are currently falling – so leading to a reduction in the workload of magistrates – the trend could be reversed in the future.

The report recommends that councillors contribute to a county council response on the proposals to close the court, in particular by focusing on the impact on local people.

The Selby Area committee meets at Barlow Village Hall on Monday from 6pm and members of the public are welcome to attend.