Llwynypia Magistrates Court
Chris Bryant MP and I are campaigning to keep Rhondda Magistrates Court open. I'm pictured at the court with retired magistrate Pat Brunker.
We are wholeheartedly opposed to any plan to close the Rhondda Magistrates Court at Llwynypia and will fight vigorously to keep it open. We realise that these are just options at this stage and we support moves to make the Courts more efficient and effective, but we cannot see how closing Llwynypia would help make justice more accessible for the people of the Rhondda.
Chris says he wants a criminal justice system that gets closer to the people. If the Court closes and people from the Rhondda have to travel to Pontypridd, then that could only make justice less accessible:
I fear that any plan to close the court would mean more criminals would fail to turn up and more victims of crime would fail to get justice. The Court is easily accessible and modern. It should stay open.
For my part, I have been fighting to get more Rhondda people appointed to local posts in the NHS and I likewise fear that if the Rhondda Magistrates Court closes we shall have fewer Rhondda magistrates. We need people from the Rhondda sitting on cases from the Rhondda - people who understand our local problems, through from drugs to antisocial behaviour.
I met with Don Thomas, Chairman of the Rhondda Division of the Magistrates, who is working hhard to keep the court open. There will be a period of consultation on any plans.