This week, Rosie Cooper has been assured that Ormskirk Magistrates Courts will not be merged after concerns that officials might try to push merger plans through the backdoor even though the Minister had decided last December that there would be NO merger of Ormskirk Magistrates with courts in Chorley and South Ribble.

Local MP Rosie Cooper sought assurances from Justice Minister, Harriet Harman over local concerns that court merger could be introduced through the back door. In response to a Parliamentary Question of 15 May Justice Minister, Harriet Harman stated she has no plans to review her decision not to merge the courts.

Rosie said:

“In December we secured a fantastic result that meant the Magistrates Courts would not be merged. Over recent weeks concerns were expressed to me that officials may attempt to begin to quietly and by stealth merge these courts.”

“When the original proposals were put forward there was considerable local opposition to the plans. I and fellow MPs met with Harriet Harman and convinced her that amalgamation was not in the best of interests of our constituents. After a lot of hard work we were able to stop the merger from going ahead.”

“Amalgamation of the local magistrates’ courts is not in the best interests of West Lancashire. I think the Minister was emphatically clear in her response that she is sticking with her original decision and there will be NO merger.”