Magistrates' Court to close as part of cash-saving plan

Skegness Magistrates' Court will close its doors for the final time this week, joining dozens of other courts around the country which have been closed as part of the Government's bid to save '¨cash.
Skegness Magistrates' Court. ANL-160923-174727001Skegness Magistrates' Court. ANL-160923-174727001
Skegness Magistrates' Court. ANL-160923-174727001

HM Courts and Tribunal Service has confirmed that the Skegness court will close its doors for the final time on Friday (September 30), with cases being heard at other magistrates’ courts such as Boston and Lincoln.

Skegness Magistrates’ Court is on a list of 86 courts across England and Wales that have been, or will be, closed as part of the Government’s reforms, which aim to reduce the £500 million annual cost of the courts estate.

These 86 courts and tribunal hearing centres represent almost one-fifth of all courts across England and Wales - with Ministers claiming that 48 per cent of court buildings were empty at least half of the time in 
2015.

The announcement of the decision to close the 86 courts was revealed in February.

At the time, HM Courts and Tribunals Service released a report into court closures in the Midlands region,

According to the report, 24 responses were received to the Skegness consultation - 
with one in support of closure, 20 opposed, and three
 neutral.

The report said: “All the points raised by respondents to the consultation have been analysed and, following careful consideration, the Lord Chancellor has decided to close Skegness Magistrates’ Court and move the workload to Boston Magistrates’ Court, County Court and Family Court hearing centre.”