Crumbling Lanarkshire court buildings need £740,000 worth of repairs

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Evidence from the Scottish Conservatives has revealed crumbling court buildings across Lanarkshire require nearly £740,000 worth of repairs.

Lanarkshire MSP, Graham Simpson, has slammed the SNP for short-changing the court service and warned that a failure to carry out repair work risked the backlog of court cases growing even larger in his region.

More than £500,000 is needed to upgrade Hamilton Sheriff Court, £11,000 for Hamilton JP Court and £175,000 at Airdrie Sheriff Court.Meanwhile, Lanark Sheriff Court needs £48,000 to replace its roof.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Across Scotland, more than £7.3 million is required to tackle this backlog.The freedom of information response from the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has revealed that much of this money is for crucial maintenance work to fix the likes of leaky roofs, ceilings and damp.The cost of the repairs equates to almost the entire £8 million capital budget of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service – so there’s no guarantee that all the "essential" maintenance will go ahead.That capital budget was £5m less than the £13m the SCTS had requested from the SNP Government.The Scottish Conservatives have previously revealed how the courts were told by the SNP that justice was no longer a priority – and they say this is manifesting