Council criticises ministry over movement of remand hearings to nearby authority
Herefordshire Council has objected strongly to a decision by the Ministry of Justice to move all the area’s remand hearings to Kidderminster, in neighbouring Worcestershire.
A full council motion was passed unanimously to deplore the decision, after which leader Jonathan Lester protested to Justice Secretary David Gauke.
The council said local justice should be administered locally, by magistrates who know the area and local factors using defence solicitors “who are aware of the circumstances and background issues to each remand case”.
In his letter to Mr Gauke, Cllr Lester said everyone “from the honorary recorder down, those involved in administration of justice in Herefordshire” opposed the MoJ decision, though the council itself had not been consulted.
He said too little attention was given to the impact on residents, and civil servants appeared to have concluded that Kidderminster was near enough to Herefordshire by “drawing straight lines on a map” without taking account of sparse transport services in a highly rural area.
Herefordshire has only four railway stations and erratic bus services meant those without cars faced journeys of three hours or more to reach Kidderminster.
Anyone required in court before 10am would have to travel the previous day and stay overnight.
Cllr Lester said there was only one van to take prisoners to Kidderminster “so those who surrender after 6am are held in cells until the next day and if released must make their own way home and can be absent 36 hours in all”.
He concluded: “The sheer logistical difficulty associated with travel to Kidderminster places an unacceptable burden on those individuals [affected], which cannot be offset by the efficiencies the arrangement purports to deliver.”
A spokesperson for HM Courts and Tribunals Service said: “We are investing over £1 billion to reform and modernise the justice system – to deliver swifter justice and provide better value for the taxpayer.
“Following a public consultation, remand cases were moved from Hereford to Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court to improve listings and trial management at Hereford.
“We have given key agencies and professional court users the opportunity to share their views about how these changes are working in practice and we continue to work with them and other partners to resolve any concerns raised.”
Mark Smulian
