Court bosses have revealed details of what will happen when Macclesfield’s courts shut.

The town’s magistrates court on Hibel Road and county court on Park Green will close at the end of September as part of a money saving review by the government. More than 80 courts are shutting around the country.

There was concern that this threatens local justice, with defendants, witnesses, solicitors and police having to travel longer distances, and an earlier plan to transfer Macclesfield cases to Crewe was abandoned in favour of moving them to Stockport.

But bosses have now outlined more details of the plan.

Andrew Ball, deputy justice clerk for Cheshire, told solicitors and other parties at a meeting at Macclesfield magistrates this week, that most defendants who commit crimes in Macclesfield will appear at Stockport Magistrates Court. This will be on Mondays, a change to the current system which sees defendants answering bail on Tuesdays.

But he said those kept in police custody overnight will make their first appearance at Crewe instead. This is after the original proposal to transfer to Crewe was criticised because of the distance.

Mr Ball said: “The vast majority of CPS cases will go to Stockport except defendants held in police stations overnight who will appear at Crewe the next working day.

“Local authority prosecutions will be retained at Crewe.

“Those answering bail at Stockport will appear on Mondays with the exception of domestic violence and youth cases which will take place on Wednesdays.

“The starting point for trials after first appearances at Stockport or Crewe is for them to happen at Stockport.”

He said crown court cases will continue to go to Chester Crown Court.

Mr Ball said it’s unclear what would happen to defendants who remain in custody and make their second appearance via video link.

He said: “The starting point is to send them to Stockport, but with custodies there’s still a discussion to be had.”

Macclesfield Magistrates court will be open until September 29.

A bid by MP David Rutley and councillors to create a Macclesfield justice centre for criminal and civil cases was rejected.

Stockport County Court is set to take most of the workload from Macclesfield County Court,