SCS reform agenda puts courts at risk

FEARS FOR the future of sheriff courts inangus and Fife have escalated ahead of a series of meetings to consider the service across Scotland.

Speculation that Forfar and Cupar could be in the firing line has been rife for months, and those concerns have now grown with the release of a discussion document indicating they could face the axe – possibly as early as next year.

The confirmed question mark over the two courts is part of the reform agenda background produced by the Scottish Courts Service (SCS) for a series of events that get under way in Inverness today looking at options for the future structure of the nation’s court system.

SCS officials say they are facing substantial budget reductions amidst significant changes to the way court services are provided.

Although the discussion document circulated in advance of the dialogue events – including a Perth meeting on May 28 – SCS stresses it is not a consultation on proposals, with Forfar, Cupar and Stonehaven highlighted as possible closure locations.

They feature within an appendix drawn up to accompany the dialogue event programme, setting out how the SCS thinking would translate into a new-look court structure.

The three locations have been highlighted as being among 20 courts examined in the context to two tipping points – insufficient business volume or insufficient distance in that they sit in a population of less than 20,000 and are within 20 miles of another court.

Forfar, Cupar and Stonehaven all come within the insufficient distance category, alongside the likes of Alloa, Dingwall and Selkirk.

Kirkcaldy JP court would fail to meet the sufficient business benchmark as a location where sittings are three days a week or fewer.

The document also suggests an option that would see Dundee dropped from the High Court circuit, although Perth would remain.

The SCS paper suggests criminal and civil business would transfer from Forfar to Dundee and that Stonehaven solemn, summary, civil and JP business would move to Aberdeen.

Last night one solicitor said the prospect of Forfar business transferring to Dundee would be a “recipe for disaster.”

Brian Bell of Bell Brodie in Forfar said he was concerned how the possible threat to Forfar had emerged, and expected the issue to be the subject of intense discussion ahead of next week’s Perth meeting.

“Clearly there have been concerns circulating for some time about the future for the courts service, and the ramifications for facilities in Angus,” said Mr Bell.

“Until now those fears have been based on rumour and speculation, so it is a worry that we now, for the first time, are presented with a scenario which has the words ‘possible closure’ alongside Forfar sheriff court.”

He added: “The faculty has discussed this issue as far as has been possible within the limited information which has come out to this point, and our position is that we would wish to retain Forfar court.”

He continued: “Another major concern would be the frequency of the public transport service to get people to places like Dundee or Arbroath.

“Certainly in terms of criminal business it is likely that you would have Crown witnesses sitting on the same bus as both accused and people who could well be defence witnesses, and that is something I would not be happy with.”

Mr Bell added: “I think there is a view that this issue requires to be the subject of joint meetings with all sections of the justice service, including solicitors, social work and a host of other agencies.

“I would expect that now this structure scenario has emerged that there will be an appetite to bring these thoughts together ahead of the dialogue event in Perth, where I am confident the strongest possible arguments for retention of a court in Forfar will be put forward.”