People are being urged to support an 11th hour campaign to keep the town's magistrates Court open.

Bradford council is urging members of the public to send in letters or petitions of support to try to keep the court in the town.

The council has already written to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, asking him to veto plans by the West Riding Metropolitian Magistartes Court Committee to close Keighley's court and move all cases to Bingley.

Magistrates-court cases have already gone to Bingley. Only youth-court cases remain at Keighley.

Cllr Mohammed Ajeeb, deputy leader of the council and lead member on legal issues, condemns the proposal to close Keighley's court. "Our view, which is shared by the town's lawyers, is that the decision to close Keighley court is simply based on money and not on the practical needs of the local community," he says.

However, David Chandler, Justices Clerk for Keighley, says the reason the court will be closed is that 'the facilities are so poor'. He also questions Bradford council's claims that extending Bingley Court is a short-term measure. "The extension is not a short-term measure," Mr Chandler says. "We are talking 15-20 years."

He also says an extra court room is being built at Bingley which will be able to take the extra cases from Keighley.

Keith Blackwell, principal partner of Keighley's Blackwell Solicitors, disagrees. "Bingley Court cannot cope with the load it has got already," he says.

He argues that the Bingley courthouse is already congested and cases are being moved to Bradford Magistrates Court as a result of this.

Mr Chandler plays down the notion that closing Keighley Court would discourage local people from attending court. "People are already travelling from Shipley and Baildon to Keighley," he says.

Mr Blackwell is concerned about people in the Keighley area, such as fine defaulters, who will have to pay the price of a bus ticket to get to Bingley and may struggle to afford it.

Petitions in support of Keighley Magistrates Court should be sent to: The Lord Chancellor;s Department, Magistrates Court Division, Selbourne House, Victoria Road, DX 117000, Victoria, London.

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