Shaun Davies MP welcomes permanent status for Telford Nightingale Court

Telford MP Shaun Davies has welcomed the government’s confirmation that the temporary Nightingale Court in the town will become a permanent facility.

Nightingale Courts were originally opened across the country during the pandemic to accommodate social distancing rules. While most have since closed, Telford remained one of only four left in operation alongside Chichester, Cirencester, and Fleetwood.

The MP praised the decision, calling it a “massive boost to our ailing justice system.” The move follows a period of sustained campaigning by Davies since his election to secure urgent reforms and increased capacity for the overstretched courts serving Telford and Shropshire.

Shaun Davies recently brought Courts Minister Sarah Sackman to Telford to highlight local challenges and press the case for long-term investment.

He said: “This is fantastic news for Telford. For too long, victims and families have faced unacceptable delays while waiting for their day in court. Making the Nightingale Court permanent will increase capacity, speed up cases, and help restore confidence in our justice system locally.

“I have consistently raised the urgent need for investment in our courts, and I am pleased the Government has listened. This decision will make a real difference to people across Telford and the wider Shropshire area.”

The government has also unveiled the Courts and Tribunals Bill, aimed at tackling delays that deny justice to victims and survivors. The legislation strengthens magistrates’ powers to hear more cases, removes the ability for defendants to choose their court to cause delays, and streamlines the appeals process. These reforms sit alongside new investment and the lifting of the cap on sitting days.

This new commitment follows the completion of roof repairs at the Telford Justice Centre, which were secured after Davies invited the Courts Minister to visit the site in 2025 to see how the damage was impacting court capacity.

While the government has announced £148.5m for repairing and upgrading courts nationally, Davies has previously pointed out in Parliament that such investment only benefits the town if there is physical capacity for trials to take place.

Alongside the capacity increases, the MP is also calling for the introduction of long service awards for magistrates. He commented: “Magistrates are the unsung heroes of our justice system. Many give up their time for over 20 or even 30 years to serve their communities. It is only right that their service is recognised formally and publicly.”