Town court to remain open to tackle case backlog

A courthouse that reopened in 2021 as one of the so-called 'Nightingale courts' during the coronavirus pandemic, will remain in use for at least another year.

Cirencester Courthouse in Gloucestershire was brought back into use four years ago to provide temporary additional capacity for hearings.

But an agreement between the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Gloucestershire and HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) means judges will now be able to hear criminal cases there, including jury trials, until the end of March 2026.

Its use has been extended in an attempt to reduce a backlog of cases.

PCC Chris Nelson said hundreds of victims, witnesses and defendants have had cases hanging over them for too long and keeping Cirencester Courthouse open would help bring more criminal cases to court.

"Crown courts are already dealing with the highest number of cases than at any point since 2019," he said.

"Bringing the waiting list down is a primary objective."

At the end of September 2024, there were 333,349 open cases at magistrates courts in England and Wales - an increase of 22% on the previous year.

At crown courts the caseload reached a new peak, with a total of 73,105 open cases during the same period.

The government is due to give an update on the latest figures, next month.

Christine Murray, HMCTS delivery director for the south west, said: "We are really pleased to have been able to work with the police and crime commissioner to extend our use of this site.

"The two courtrooms at Cirencester will help us continue to ensure local access to justice and tackle court backlogs."

Cirencester Courthouse used to operate as a magistrates' court and reserve crown court until it closed in 2012 as part of national spending cuts and was acquired by the PCC ahead of its reopening in 2021.

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