THE desperate need for Bolton's new magistrates' court will be put forward at a top level meeting tomorrow.

Mr Gary Streeter, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Lord Chancellor's Office will visit the town's cramped court buildings and see the Youth Court in operation.

Afterwards, he will be presented with a bid for private finance to fund the new magistrates court building.

He will meet MPs Tom Sackville, Bolton West and Peter Thurnham, Bolton North East and Des Grogan from Bolton Council.

From the magistrates' court, he will meet Peter Dawson, clerk to the justices, Frank Woods, chairman of the bench and deputy chairmen Ken Hanham and John Speaks.

Impressive designs for the £8 million court building were unveiled in 1994 and a contractor was selected.

But the very day before the contract was due to be signed on October 2 last year, the deal was called off.

It had been decided that Bolton's court was suitable for a Private Finance Initiative - where the private sector builds and profits from the project.

Bolton's is now one of 13 bids which must be in by September 30.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.