HUNDREDS of local people have joined the call to save Kendal’s Magistrates Court and County Court from closure.

Three hundred coupons sent to the Gazette in support of its ‘Keep Justice Local’ campaign, to keep the court open, were posted this week to Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

A Ministry of Justice consultation on shutting the Burneside Road building – along with 90 others across the country – is set to close today.

Earlier this week Gazette content editor Andrew Thomas posted the 300 coupons from readers to Mr Gove, along with a letter arguing that closing the court would “seriously undermine the provision of criminal and civil justice in South Lakeland.”

The letter stated: “Cases from Kendal would be transferred to Barrow, 37 miles from Kendal. A one-way car journey takes around 55 minutes. A bus journey takes around one hour 40 minutes and a train trip, requiring two changes, takes between one and a half and two and a half hours.

“That would put a considerable burden on people during a time of potential stress. It might put some witnesses off doing their civic duty.

“It will make it harder for The Westmorland Gazette to report local cases. It is also likely to lead to increased costs for police and solicitors.

“The Courts and Tribunals Service has said that video links could be used to reduce travelling time. However, local solicitors have warned that there would need to be a major investment in technology and such links take away from the gravitas of a court hearing.”

Kendal Town Council also formally responded to the consultation this week, saying that the consultation materials and processes “are so badly flawed as to make the consultation invalid.”

Councillors pointed out that there had been inadequate publicity to notify stakeholders, no evaluation of options such as delivering other services from the building, no business case looking at the public-sector wide cost – such as increased travel expenses and police travel time – and no analysis of how the proposals would comply with DEFRA’s ‘Rural Proofing Guidance’.

Their response said: “The council believes that HMCTS has totally failed to make a case for the closure of Kendal’s court and any decision to do so would be arbitrary, not evidence based and open to challenge.”

Cllr Chris Hogg, The Mayor of Kendal commented: “Access to justice needs to be universally available and easily accessible. These proposals could have an appalling impact on some of the most vulnerable people in our community and the surrounding area. HMCTS need to think again and arrive at a fairer solution.”