Civil court move sparks opposition

Plans to move civil court cases from Oldham to Manchester could mean more people from Rochdale having to travel to Manchester, instead of Oldham, for a civil trial or hearing.

The Court Service has plans to stop circuit judges travelling to Oldham, and to move some civil trials to Manchester.

But opponent say this breaches undertakings given when the new Oldham County Court opened in 1997.

The new building was intended to serve both Oldham and Rochdale after the closure of Rochdale County Court.

An Oldham Council motion is calling on council chief executive Charlie Parker to pass the council’s views to the Court Service, the three MPs, the new Secretary of State for Justice Kenneth Clarke, and calls for a full consultation on the plans.