The future of Kennet Magistrates Court in Devizes could be decided next month.

The Wiltshire Magistrates Court Committee is meeting on December 6 and members will be brought up to date on the review of the building.

The court is threatened with closure because its four cells fail to meet new human rights legislation, which means that custody cases are being diverted to Chippenham or Swindon.

Upgrading the Devizes cells will cost in the region of £125,000 but officials are looking to see if the work can be done in a cheaper way.

Custody cases can no longer be accepted at Salisbury Magistrates Court because it also falls foul of the human rights law and officials are also considering building a new court house to serve the south east petty sessional area, which stretches as far as Marlborough.

Paul Wilcock, the justices' chief executive, said: "The future of Devizes court has not been decided yet. We are still gathering information and consulting magistrates about the committee's plans for the next three years. We still have feasibility work to be carried out at Devizes court to see if it would be cost effective to bring it up to standard.

"At the committee's meeting on December 6, they will be considering the latest position and at this stage I am not sure if we will have all the information by then. We want to pursue the provision of a new court house somewhere in the south east of the county and it hasn't been decided yet if that means giving up Devizes or Salisbury court house."

Organisations who use the magistrates court in Wiltshire, including the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and Victim Support, will be asked for their views at a meeting with court officials next Thursday in Salisbury.