Richard Benyon, Member of Parliament for Newbury, is to meet Shailesh Vara, Minister for Courts and Legal Aid next week, following the start of a consultation period which proposes the closure of West Berkshire (Newbury) Magistrates’ Court.
Richard, who successfully campaigned against potential closure in 2010, has already made representations to the consultation and has requested this meeting to enforce the case for local justice.
Richard said: “I am grateful to the minister for granting me a meeting. I maintain that our court has been purposely run down by the Courts Service with this very aim in mind. I am deeply troubled that the concept of local justice is being lost”.
He continued: “It is vital that the Ministry of Justice is made aware of the detrimental impact this potential closure will have on our local community and I would urge all interested parties to make their feelings known to this consultation, which is to close on 8th October”.
Richard’s forthcoming meeting follows discussions with the Law Society earlier this week.