Skipton Magistrates' Court office has been earmarked for closure.

The office's future has been listed in a consultation document which could result in a radical shake-up of the justice system throughout North Yorkshire.

If the office is closed, fines will no longer be paid there and details of defendants for court lists will be prepared in Harrogate.

Justices' chief executive Paul Bradley said the Skipton office was small but had, in proportion to other offices, more staff than it should have.

There are four administration employees, one of whom is part-time, and a court clerk based in Skipton.

Mr Bradley said small offices were often not viable as they were vulnerable to employees taking time off sick and unplanned absences. He said the small team raised a number of health and safety issues, management costs were high, and there were limited opportunities for staff development and promotion.

He added that the work could easily be transferred to Harrogate and in the past staff from the closed offices had been offered work at the new centre.

"The proposals are no reflection on the staff at Skipton. We do have high regard for them," said Mr Bradley, a former court clerk at Skipton.

If the closure goes ahead, defendants could pay their fines through banks, post offices, direct debits and possibly pay points at supermarkets and garages. The actual court is not earmarked for closure, but the court committee will investigate merging Skipton's magistrates' and the county court proceedings into one building. At the moment there are separate courthouses, both on Otley Street.

"Both courts are underused. It seems to us that there is the possibility that we could explore sharing premises," said Mr Bradley.