Court services have been moved to Brockville. Issues with the Kemptville Courthouse building on Water Street caused the move. The Ministry of the Attorney General continues to pay to lease the building, but is not currently using it.
The Municipality of North Grenville is in talks with the Ministry to bring court back to town. Staff met with ministry officials back in June and offered up council chambers as a possible venue for court.
CAO Brian Carré says with some minor changes, at the ministry’s cost, the council chamber would work to hold court once a week.
The Police Services Board (PSB) sent the municipality a letter asking staff to reach out to the ministry again. The letter was discussed at the Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night.
It states: The costs associated with the aforementioned move in policing and witness travel have not been measured at this time. The Board recommends that Council take the necessary steps to provide the continuance of criminal cases being heard in North Grenville as “not only must justice be done; but it must be seen to be done.”
Carré says the response the municipality got back from its last inquiry is that these decisions take time.
To read the full letter from the PSB, click here.