Published: Wednesday, 19th December, 2007 08:30
Second courtroom will ease pressure
By Hamish Hutchinson
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A computer image of the second courtroom in Alloa.
ALLOA Sheriff Court is set to get a second courtroom in a £1.5 million upgrade of the Mar Street building.
Work will begin in January on the six-month refurbishment which will see an additional flexible courtroom on the ground floor, new public access from Drysdale Street and additional witness accommodation, interview rooms and improvements to the public toilets and the custody area.
The new facility will also feature a café operated by the Anthony Nolan Trust and house the Area Procurator Fiscal service with a separate public entrance.
It comes after Clackmannanshire Councillors accepted the Scottish Court Services’ (SCS) bid to buy the Revenues Services office at 47 Drysdale Street at Thursday’s full council meeting.
The news has been welcomed by Alloa solicitors who previously raised concerns in the Advertiser over the increasing backlog of criminal cases due to the lack of court facilities.
Since then a selection of summary trials have been transferred to Stirling Sheriff Court in a bid to ease the backlog.
Defence Solicitor Advocate, George Higgins, said, “Changes to Alloa Sheriff Court are long overdue and will be of great benefit to everybody involved whether they be witnesses, accused persons or people who work in the courts.
“Hopefully the court environment will become a more pleasant working environment and the administration of justice in Clackmannanshire should be vastly improved.
“It is a tribute to the staff who already work in the court that they have managed for so long to cope with the increasing workload in an appropriate manner and I look forward to the changes that are planned.”
The deal will see the Drysdale Street office exchanged for the present District Court building in Bank Street with an additional financial settlement of £324,000 provided by SCS.
The Citizens Advice Bureau will remain at its present location as tenants of SCS under a safeguarded five-year tenancy agreement but at Thursday’s council meeting Councillor Craig Holden raised concerns on the long-term status of CAB in Alloa.
Councillor Eddie Carrick pledged that the council would search for a suitable premises in the town centre for the service over the next five years.
The joining of the District court and Sheriff court is in line with new legislation for the unification of the services due to be completed in 2009/10.
Chief Executive of the Scottish Court Service Eleanor Emberson said, “Increasing court capacity at Alloa has been one of our main priorities as facilities have been unsatisfactory for court users and court staff and the judiciary have had poor working conditions at this location for some time.
“We have been in discussion with Clackmannanshire Council for over six months now and I would like to extend my thanks to them for assisting us to bring this project to fruition.
“Being able to buy the adjacent Council property allows us to make these essential court improvements but still remain on the original site. When the work is complete, we will provide the range of facilities we would expect in a modern court complex.”
Geraldine Watt, Area Procurator Fiscal for Central Scotland, said, “The installation of an additional courtroom will allow more cases to be prosecuted swiftly and efficiently, improving the delivery of justice for the local community.”
Victim Support Witness Service went on, “Victim Support (Scotland) Witness Service is delighted with the new arrangements being put in place for child and vulnerable adult witnesses where separate accommodation will be available, which should reduce intimidation concerns.”
Last month Ochil MSP Keith Brown discussed the lack of court accommodation with David Forrester, Deputy Director of Field Services from the Scottish Court Service.
Following the announcement by the council to sell the Drysdale Street office to SCS, he said, “I certainly have views on the wisdom – or otherwise – of Clackmannanshire Council selling off assets to pay for the current council administration’s costly private school finance scheme.
“With this sell-off at least we can be glad that the property will keep on serving the public good.
“The [court] employees have been doing a fantastic job under the circumstances, but they and the lawyers who have been using the court have been repeatedly saying the facility was inadequate.
“Public concern has been strong – rightly so – and public safety now can be properly respected.
“That the local court has the chance to function to its full potential is great news for everyone in and around Alloa, who I represent.”
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