MR WILLIAM Hague, MP for Richmond, has joined growing protests over the proposed closure of his local courthouse.

He spoke out as the executive of North Yorkshire County Council agreed to object to closure proposals for Richmond, Pickering and Whitby courts, with one member saying the magistrates' courts committee should be challenging the Lord Chancellor's department more vigorously over funding levels.

The committee, which is seeking efficiency savings of £300,000, wants to close Richmond by December 31 or as soon as building work to accommodate its case load is completed at Northallerton courthouse.

But Mr Hague said: "We have seen over the years the progressive destruction of many rural services and at some stage the remaining services become just too remote. There is a danger of that in this case.

"Although the consultation paper refers to good road links to Richmond and Northallerton, the truth is that east-west road links between Richmondshire and Hambleton are not good.

"Some of my constituents would face a road journey of at least one hour ten minutes from remote parts of Richmondshire to Northallerton courthouse."

Mr Hague added: "I note the alleged justification for closure, that the majority of defendants are not local to Richmondshire, but this is generally true of rural areas because most crimes are committed by people travelling in from nearby conurbations and the same argument could be used to justify any rural courthouse closure.

"Just because people from outside our area commit most crime it does not follow that local people should be denied an important service."

l Stand up to the Lord Chancellor: page 14.