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4 • Visit us @ www.ChampNews.com SF The Champion • Wednesday 4 September 2013Jack Parker Cycles WorldIt’s an act ofvandalism...MAKE THE BEST OF SUMMERSALE NOW ONFREE ADVICE - FREE BUILD UP - FREE FIRST SERVICE - FREEOpen Monday to Friday 9.00 - 5.30. Sat 9.00 - 5.00. Closed Wednesday and SundayDELIVERY112156401704 892442 • 62-64 LIVERPOOL ROAD NORTH • BURSCOUGH • L40 4BYwww.jackparkercyclesburscough.co.ukJane Kennedy is the new Merseyside PCC.Crime chief furiousat plans to closeNorth LiverpoolJustice CentreReport by Ollie CowanMERSEYSIDE’S Police and CrimeCommissioner is challenging plans by theMinistry of Justice to close down the NorthLiverpool Criminal Justice Centre and movethe workload to South Sefton Magistrates.Former Labour MP Jane Kennedy branded theplans as an ‘act of vandalism’ in a letterpenned to the Minister for Victims and theCourt, Helen Grant, and she asked her not toproceed with any plans to close the Kirkdalecentre.“I was deeply concerned that you made thisannouncement,” Kennedy wrote,“asParliament went into recess and the summerholiday period commenced.“This made it difficult to take the views ofmany local stakeholders.“Furthermore, the proposal to transfer thework of the Centre to Sefton Magistrates’Court deserves much more thought as it is notat all clear how the cultures of two quitedifferent courts could be merged.“I understand that there is some thoughtbeing given to the court locations across thecounty of Merseyside due to the reduction inworkload being experienced and I do notunderstand how the NLCJC can be singled outfor closure at this time.“I am unconvinced by the proposal that themove of the workload to Sefton could be donein a way that meets the needs of its’ serviceusers.Benefit✓ the BEST reputationGuarantee✓ the BEST service✓ the BEST quality ✓ the BEST value0 60%APPLIANCES+FREEDISHWASHEROn on all orders placed inSeptember in July 2013OFFEngineered in Germany, Installed in AughtonFormby Showroom93 Altcar RoadFormby L37 8DL01704 830480OPEN 7 DAYSLate Night ThursdayAughtonInstallationwww.kitchen-kraft.co.uk1121895“This Centre has been an enormous benefit tonorth Liverpool and the communities it serves.“I have seen the impact that dedicated teamsof staff, drawn from criminal justice partneragencies, can have on the offending behaviourof some of the most troublesome and prolificoffenders.“Unless this proposal is carefully thoughtthrough, and time taken to decide how theCentre should be developed within theconstraints of the reduced workload of all thecourts, I believe you will commit an act ofunnecessary vandalism if you proceed now.”The North Liverpool Community JusticeCentre was set up by the then Labourgovernment in 2005 and promised a new andmore effective way to administer justice. TheCentre came about after the then Lord ChiefJustice (Lord Woolf) visited the Red HookCentre, Brooklyn, New York in 2002. TheHome Secretary (David Blunkett) visited in2003. Both were impressed and a decision wasmade to establish a similar centre in the UK.However, North Liverpool, based in a formersecondary school on Boundary Lane inKirkdale at a start up cost of £5.2m, was theonly court centre built on that model.EndsMonday6pmSupreme Collection169-173 Hart Street, Norwood Road,Southport PR8 6DY Tel: 01704 544 900See Inside For Details1121965