MSP makes Holyrood plea for new Dingwall court

A ROSS-SHIRE MSP has spoken out in Holyrood to make the case for Dingwall to continue to have a court of law.

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, has told the Scottish Parliament's Access to Justice Debate that he wants to see a new justice centre in the Ross-shire town to handle business for both Dingwall and Inverness.

It has been formally recommended that Dingwall Sheriff Court be closed and all its criminal and civil cases be transferred to Inverness Sheriff Court by January 2015.

The Scottish Court Service has also come up with a plan to close Dornoch’s court and move its business to Tain Sheriff Court as part of a major shake-up of the system.

The moves have been widely condemned by the legal establishment and local politicians — including SNP MSPs — as being a backward step for the justice system in the Highlands.

Court closures have to be passed by the Scottish Parliament and the proposals have a few hurdles to jump before they are set in stone.

Dave said during the debate: "I accept the need for rationalisation, but I want to turn that into an opportunity. I have already argued for this, but I want a new justice centre in Dingwall to replace both Dingwall and Inverness courts. I believe that would provide an ideal solution and would free up the iconic Inverness Castle to be fully utilised as a tourist attraction.

"I invite all Highland MSPs to back me in this."

The new justice centre could also serve as a secondary venue on the High Court circuit.

Inverness is currently a venue, and 69 High Court cases have been called there since 2008, but the proposals recommend limiting High Court sessions to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with Greenock, Paisley, Dumbarton, Livingston and Dunfermline acting as secondary venues. Dave wants to ensure that at least one court in the Highlands and Islands remains a possible venue for the High Court.

Dave added: "The SCS proposals on the High Court appear to have been made solely on the basis of distribution of population and do not take into account geography and topography, or the poorer transport infrastructure in the Highlands and Islands. The Highlands make up a large proportion of the landmass of Scotland, so it is important that people there have easy access to the highest court in the land."

The court closure recommendations laid out in the report "Shaping Scotland’s Court Services" were published earlier this month after a consultation period and were accepted by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill.

Mr MacAskill has now sent draft orders to the Scottish Court Service and the Lord President to enable the necessary legislative changes to be made in the Scottish Parliament.

A further consultation on the closures will be carried out by SCS, and it is anticipated that orders to close the courts will be laid in the Scottish Parliament and considered by the Justice Committee.

The Justice Committee has agreed to hold three panels of witnesses at its meeting on May 21 and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice will give evidence on June 4.

As part of that process, people from across Scotland have been invited to give their views on the impact of the proposed reforms.

Justice Committee convener Christine Grahame said: "It is vital that we get the full picture of how these proposals from the Scottish Court Service may impact on everything from court users to the provision of legal services and access to justice.

"Our call for evidence asks people in the communities directly affected by the proposed closures across Scotland how they feel about the changes. Do they feel that travelling further to a sheriff court as a witness will affect their access to justice? Or do they feel that the reforms will offer court users an improved and specialist service in a concentrated area?

"We also hear from local sheriffs that sometimes the greatest sanction for the guilty party can be the threat of being named and shamed in the local press who cover the courts — so how would the proposals affect the deterrent of media coverage?"

Mr MacAskill confirmed earlier this week that the Scottish Government has accepted the recommendations.

He said: "Having given full and careful consideration of the Scottish Court Service’s recommendations and examined the analysis on the potential impact of these proposals, I believe that given the financial constraints we are all working under, these changes are justified and are compatible with our wider justice reforms.

"The fragmented and outdated court system – where many smaller courts are not fit for purpose and are under-used – is no longer sustainable.

"While the Scottish Court Service operates independently of the Scottish Government, it is not immune from the same financial pressures. The SCS is seeking to save £4.5million from its revenue budget and £6.4million from its capital budget in 2011- 2012 to 2014-2015.

"By making its proposed court closures and other changes to the handling of court business, SCS estimate they can save £1million a year in running costs and £3million in maintenance costs, money which can be better spent on improving services and facilities at a smaller number of courts.

"I appreciate and understand the concerns voiced by those who wish to retain their local court. However, the volume of business carried out in the sheriff courts recommended for closure is around five per cent of the total business, which SCS is confident can be dealt with within a smaller number of better equipped courts.

"Indeed, the introduction of a new video-conferencing network in six northern courts and four other locations, due to be completed next month, will give criminal justice organisations the opportunity to use new technology for some cases, instead of participants having to travel to court."