Bethlehem residents who need signatures witnessed on legal documents now have the convenience of a sitting Justice of the Peace in the area.

The Bay of Plenty Justices Association opened a new clinic at the Bethlehem Community Church on Moffat Road today.

Justice Raewyn McAlonan.

A Justice of the Peace will be available for services two hours every week.

Justice Raewyn McAlonan says she organised the clinic after seeing how well other clinics around Tauranga had worked.

'Currently people usually come to our homes; some people are a bit hesitant about going to a person's house.

'The other clinics in Tauranga have worked well and I thought there was a gap in Bethlehem.”

There are six Justices who live in the Bethlehem area who will ‘man' the clinic from 10am to 12pm every Friday, says Raewyn.

'It's very accessible for people, and it has a car park.

'So if you don't need a signature urgently then people can organise to come to the clinic on Fridays.”