Fife MSP renews call for justice centre in town

A Fife MSP has reiterated her calls for Kirkcaldy to be the next area of Scotland to secure a state of the art Justice Centre.
Claire Baker MSPClaire Baker MSP
Claire Baker MSP

Claire Baker’s comments come as work begins on a similar facility in Inverness.

The Inverness Justice Centre has benefited from Scottish Government backing to the tune of £30 million, prompting the Labour MSP to call for the Scottish Government to make a similar commitment to Fife.

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Statistics released by the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP at the turn of the year showed the number of adjournments of criminal trials was up 14 per cent on last year and 65 per cent in the past five years.

The number of adjournments due to a lack of court time had also risen dramatically in the past five years, rising from 107 in 2012/13 to 148 in 2015/16 and rising again to 231 last year. This is a rise of 115 per cent in the past five years and 56 per cent since 2015/16.

Claire Baker MSP said: “Six years have now passed and still Kirkcaldy is waiting for the state of the art justice centre that it deserves. We are now seeing work on such a centre in Inverness and this is only possible due to funding from the Scottish Government.

“If the Scottish Government is committed to delivering a justice system that is accessible and fit-for-purpose, it must heed the Scottish Court’s own report and commit similar funding towards a centre in Kirkcaldy.

“Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court is no longer fit for purpose. The Scottish Government must now commit to delivering a justice centre fit for Fife.”