Controversial moves to end Saturday sittings for magistrates in Bingley have been backed by Court bosses.

The proposal, which would mean weekend cases being dealt with in Bradford instead, has been made by David Chandler, Clerk to the Justices.

He says the change is necessary because of a lack of court clerks volunteering for Saturday sittings - but the plan has sparked a storm of protest among lawyers.

Keighley-based solicitor Keith Blackwell says the move is an erosion of local justice and has threatened to go to the High Court if necessary to keep Bingley Magistrates' Court open on Saturdays and Bank Holidays.

However, the proposal has now received the full support of the West Riding Metropolitan Magistrates' Court Committee.

Its chief executive, Stuart Baker, said today: "Mr Chandler has devolved responsibility for the management of the Bradford and Keighley areas and he has decided that with regard to the total staff available to him he can't sensibly run a court at Bingley on Saturdays. I and my committee entirely support him in that.

"If he hadn't taken that decision it's likely that we would have asked him to look at the situation."

Mr Baker said the change would bring Bingley into line with the majority of the rest of the country. It was "wholly exceptional" for a court like Bingley to hold Saturday and Bank Holiday sittings, he added.

Mr Chandler said: "I share people's concerns and I fully understand the issues but my problem is not a issue of principle but an issue of resources."

He said there was a voluntary rota for court clerks to work on Saturdays. He needed at least 12 clerks to be able to staff both Bradford and Bingley but only had eight volunteers this year.

Mr Blackwell claimed there were enough clerks willing to work at Bingley on Saturdays and Bank Holidays but Mr Chandler explained that the weekend rota was now pooled so that volunteering meant sharing duties at both Bradford and Bingley.

Mr Chandler said he felt fewer clerks were now offering their services to work other than from Mondays to Fridays because of increased pressures during the normal working week.

The new arrangements could come into force later this month, with Easter Monday the last scheduled Bank Holiday sitting at Bingley. But before a final decision is made, the change is due to be discussed with the Keighley magistrates' bench on Thursday, April 9. The magistrates have the right to ask Mr Chandler to reconsider but he said he hoped they would not do so.

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