Banbury Conservative Councillors have commented on today's announcement that Banbury Magistrates’ Court will close. The decision has been taken following a period of consultation conducted earlier this year.
"The diminution of Banbury’s justice services has been universally rejected by local representatives and Councils, and residents alike. The closure of the Magistrates Court runs contrary to the future growth of our town and the centralisation of services will put added pressure on a system already at capacity. Local victims of crime deserve to see justice being served in their own community without the added stress of travel to Oxford.
We urge the Department of Justice to engage in talks with relevant parties to explore options of utilising space in other local public service buildings for Court proceedings.”
North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis, who had urged both the Ministry of Justice and the Courts Minister to reconsider their plans on several occasions, also commented about her "extreme disappointment".
She continued: "I made it very clear in my consultation response that centralising judicial proceedings at Oxford was not a viable solution given the distance people will have to travel and capacity issues at the courts in Oxford. We know only too well from the Horton campaign that Oxford is simply too far, particularly for those using public transport.
If the plans really must go ahead, it is essential that my suggestion to explore alternative venues for justice is taken seriously. It is something I suggested before Bicester Magistrates’ Court closed, and I have continued to push for it during conversations with my Parliamentary colleagues both in the department and on the Justice Select Committee. Having spoken to local councillors and organisations, there seems to be broad support for the idea of using the Town Hall for court proceedings. I am absolutely committed to making sure Banbury remains a viable location for local justice.”