Magistrates could quit following shake up at Wimbledon, Battersea and Richmond courts

Edith Macauley – who is also Merton Council’s cabinet member for community safety – said morale on the bench was low because of a move to shake up workloads at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court.

But other JPs have played down the impact of the changes, set to take effect in January.

They will see magistrates’ courts in Wimbledon, Battersea and Richmond each specialise in certain types of case – rather than just hearing those from the immediate neighbourhood.

JPs who previously only sat at their local court will now have to attend all three.

Coun Macauley, who sits at the Alexandra Road court once a week, said: “I became a magistrate because I wanted to deal with local justice in the local area. I don’t know Clapham Junction and I don’t know Richmond.”

She said morale among magistrates was low and some were considering quitting because of the changes – although she would stay.

Fellow Wimbledon councillor and magistrate David Williams said the change was not seen as a problem by most of his colleagues, while JP Tim Harrison said: “Generally people are fairly upbeat about it.”

Under the new arrangement, agreed earlier this year, the three separate areas previously covered by the courts will be merged.

Wimbledon will be handed most trials, youth hearings and DVLA prosecutions from the new, bigger catchment area, while remand cases will be heard at South Western Magistrates’ Court in Battersea, which is expected to be renamed Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court.

Road traffic cases, prosecutions by councils and family proceedings will be heard in Richmond.

A spokesman for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service said: “This allocation of work enables a more efficient listing of cases ensuring cases will be in a timely period, providing value for money for the taxpayer.”

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