PLANS to close Bolton's Magistrates Courts have been put on hold while the committee behind the scheme investigates its full effect.

The Greater Manchester Magistrates Courts Committee announced the delay to allow a service quality survey at the court to take place.

Surely, all this should have been carried out before the recommendation to close the courts was made.

The Committee has announced its decision and is only now putting it on hold to find out exactly how it will impinge on the lives of those it directly effects.

This latest development does beg the question, asked by Bolton Council leader, Cllr Bob Howarth, whether the Committee has done its job properly, and, if so, why had it not carried out a full investigation before coming forward with the recommendation.

While this can not yet be called a victory for all of those of us campaigning to keep the courts open, it surely is a step in the right direction.