A COUNCILLOR has attacked plans to close down Nelson County Court because it is under used.

Coun David Whipp said Nelson County Court, on the first floor of Phoenix Chambers, Holme Street, had been run-down with people being ‘encouraged’ to use the Burnley courts.

If the Courts Service consultation document, proposing the closure of the court, which only sits for three days in every four weeks, is approved business would be transferred to Burnley’s modern court.

A study in October last year revealed daily usage of the court, which deals with county court civil claims, divorce and private law family applications, had dropped by 50 percent in the last 12 months with less than six people using the court every day.

The document states the court is under-utilised and has a declining workload, with most solicitors and other litigants preferring to use Burnley.

The accommodation is inadequate and not Disability Discrimination Act compliant and the move would make some savings, it adds.

Pendle council, in the report to the Thursday’s Executive, have raised no objections stating the move would make very little difference with the council already using Burnley as the venue for legal proceedings because of the infrequency of Nelson court sittings.

But Coun Whipp said he would not back the proposals when they go before the Executive.

He said: “I am not happy about this at all and I won’t be backing the proposals.

“This is taking services away from Nelson and Pendle.

“I will be arguing strongly to keep the court open and I hope I will get the backing of the council.

“If they are saying there is not much use they need to change it so it is used by more people in Pendle.

“I have spoken to some solicitors and they say people are encouraged to use the Burnley courts rather than the Nelson one and consequently it has been run-down.”

Responses to the consultation must be received by October 20 and more information can be obtained from www.pendle.gov.uk