TWEEDDALE MP David Mundell has expressed concern and disappointment following the Scottish Court Service’s decision today (Tuesday April 9) to close Peebles Sheriff Court.
However the SCS have altered their original proposals for Peebles, which would have seen court business transferred to Edinburgh.
They are now proposing to close Peebles Sheriff Court in January 2015 and transfer its business to Selkirk.
The closure is subject to final approval by the Scottish Government.
Local MP David Mundell said: “I am now seeking a full explanation for this disappointing decision, and checking to see if anything else can be done to safeguard Peebles court. I will also be lobbying the Scottish Parliament who will now have to approve this proposal, and also lobbying Scottish Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill.”
“I feel it is important that justice is seen to be done locally and this retrograde step removes local justice, and this disappointment is shared by local conservative councillors Gavin Logan and Nathaniel Buckingham.
“I am also concerned that the SCS are proposing the closure of Peebles and a number of other Scottish courts, while at the same time the Scottish Government has announced plans to channel significantly more work through sheriff courts.
It is utterly short-sighted to close this number of sheriff courts one minute, and then send them considerably more work the next. The SNP has already being told that fewer sheriff courts would struggle to cope with the criminal caseload they had been left with. So, their answer to that is to send even more cases to already overworked sheriff courts,” added Mr Mundell.
These court closures come despite warnings that the remaining courts will not be able to cope with such an increase in cases, and that witnesses, victims and staff will now face longer and more inconvenient journeys.
The SCS made the closure decision after the Scottish Government announced its budget would be cut by 20 per cent in real terms by 2015.
“This move will force victims and witnesses of crime to travel further and could lead to trials being delayed. “The plans will also seriously harm access to justice, may end up costing more money and could even hit small businesses who benefit from their local sheriff or JP court.
“The SCS describe these cuts as proportionate, but it means more than 10,000 cases will now have to be allocated to those Scottish courts that remain. The SNP is cutting the SCS budget, and is making life more difficult for the lucky ones left by piling on even more work,” he added.