A LAST ditch bid to save Kendal court from closure has been dismissed by the Government.

Ministers decided to press ahead with plans to shut the Burneside Road building in February, despite the Government’s own consultation revealing almost unanimous local opposition to the plans.

In response to this decision, South Lakes MP Tim Farron signed a joint letter alongside Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes, the chair of South Cumbria Magistrates Jenny Farmer MBE, and Lord Cavendish of Furness.

The eight page letter urged the Government to reconsider its decision and contained a detailed proposal for Kendal Court which would have seen the facilities retained in the town, with part of the premises let out for other purposes.

However, a reply from Shailesh Vala MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice, rebuffed the plan and said that the Government would not reconsider its decision.

“This is a callous and short-sighted decision by the government," said Mr Farron. "We had hoped that upon receiving this balanced and reasonable proposal, signed by figures from across the political spectrum, the Government might reconsider this decision. Unfortunately, the Government’s dismissive response shows that it is driven simply by an ideological desire to slash spending, even if that comes at the expense of local access to justice.

“As I have repeatedly made clear, the plans to close the court will not only damage local access to justice, they will also lead to additional costs as both residents and police waste time, effort and resources travelling across the county to alternative facilities.”

There are still questions to be answered about what will happen to the Cumbria Central Payments Unit, which is based in the same office.

The building was one of 91 across the country proposed to be closed by the Ministry of Justice as part of cost-cutting measures.

Five of those - including West Cumbria Magistrates Court in Workington - were given a reprieve.

Initially it was proposed that all of Kendal's cases would be transferred to Barrow - but now some of the criminal work will instead move to Lancaster Magistrates' Court.

The remainder of the magistrates’ work, and the civil and family work, will move to Barrow.

The court will close once 'suitable local alternative provision' is established.

The operating costs for Kendal Magistrates’ Court and County Court for 2014-15 were approximately £244,000.

The current utilisation rate is very low at approximately per cent, said HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

The news is a massive blow to The Westmorland Gazette's 'Keep Justice Local' campaign which collected more than 300 coupons opposing the closure.