Hampshire County Council

Executive Member for Policy and Resources Item 8

8 April 2004

New Registration Scheme for Hampshire

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Summary

1.1

The following decisions are sought:

1. That approval be given to apply to the Registrar General for a new scheme for Hampshire Registration Service to cover:

1. The amalgamation of Droxford and South East Hampshire Districts.

2. The unification of Gosport, Havant, Fareham and Eastleigh sub-districts into their main registration districts.

3. An appointment and peripatetic service only being provided at the Gosport out-station.

4. The exclusion of Denmead from the new Draft Scheme.

2. That alternative accommodation is sought to maintain an out-station service in the Bishop's Waltham area.

3. That a further report be presented to the Executive Member later this year following the consultation exercise.

2

Reason(s)

2.1

To provide a wider choice of venues and convenience to the public in accessing registration services and to support preparation of the new legislation due to be enacted in the next 18 months.

2.2

This decision supports Aim 5 of the Corporate Strategy - improving services - by increasing access to services

3

Other options considered and rejected

3.1

None

4

Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker or other Executive Member or officer consulted

4.1

Not applicable

5

Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1

Not applicable

6

Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1

Not applicable

Approved by:

..........................

Date of decision:

.........................

Councillor T K Thornber

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member for Policy and Resources Item

8 April 2004

New Registration Scheme for Hampshire

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

How the conclusion in this report fits with the Corporate Strategy

This scheme will impact on the delivery of the following Corporate Aim

Aim 5 - improving services - by increasing access to registration services.

1

Summary

1.1

This report seeks approval to request the Registrar General to prepare a Draft Scheme for the Hampshire Registration service which allows the:

· amalgamation of the South East Hampshire and Droxford registration districts

· incorporation of the Havant, Fareham and Gosport sub-districts into the South East Hampshire registration district

· unification of the Eastleigh sub-district with Winchester Registration district

1.2

The report also seeks approval to:

· provide an appointment and peripatetic service only at the Gosport out-station

· find alternative accommodation to maintain a part-time out-station service in the Bishop's Waltham area

· formally remove reference to the Denmead out-station service (which has not been used for many years) from the scheme.

1.3

The amalgamation proposals in this report are mainly administrative and will increase the choice for service users.

2.

Background

2.1

The Registration Service is currently organised into 10 registration districts. Under existing legislation births and deaths can only be registered in the district in which they occur. The earlier Best Value review recognised that the removal of registration district boundaries would increase choice for future users of the service and proposed that a new scheme be submitted to the General Register Office (GRO) in order to effect this change.

2.2

Following informal discussions with the GRO it has not been possible to progress the proposal to move to one district due to the GRO's requirement for one central repository for records. Given that new legislation, expected to be enacted within the next 18 months, will remove all registration district boundaries it is now proposed to effect more modest changes relating to the south-east Hampshire and Winchester Registration Districts only. The proposed changes, which will reduce the number of registration districts to 9, will support preparation for new legislation and improve choice particularly for people living in the south-east of the county and Eastleigh.

3.

Amalgamation of Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Droxford Registration districts

3.1

Following the creation of the new village of Whiteley, the registration boundary now runs through the community with some residents needing to go through the Droxford registration district (using the Bishop's Waltham office) and others having to attend Fareham Register Office in order to register births and deaths. Customers are constantly given conflicting or incorrect information by neighbours and other service providers and find it difficult to understand why they may not use the Register Office of their choice. It would therefore seem appropriate to amalgamate the Droxford Registration district into the South East Hampshire Registration district which would allow births and deaths to be registered, and marriage notices to be taken at either office e.g. at Bishops Waltham or Fareham.

3.2

Havant, Gosport and Fareham are separate sub-districts of the South East Hampshire registration district. In order to provide a service which allows wider choice and convenience for the public it is proposed to amalgamate these three separate sub-districts, along with the Droxford District to form one South East Hampshire Registration District. This will allow registration at Bishops Waltham, Fareham, Havant and Gosport.

4

Gosport and Fareham Register Offices

4.1

Gosport Register Office currently provides a part-time service for 19 hours per week for births and deaths registration, and marriage notices. The number of registrations/notices have reduced markedly in recent years and it is proposed to reduce this part-time service to an appointment and peripatetic service only. This would enable staff resources to be allocated to the Fareham Register Office, which currently provides only a part time service for births and deaths registration. Amalgamation and unification would enable the full-time service currently provided for marriages and certificate application at Fareham to be extended to include birth and death registration.

5.

Unification of the Eastleigh Sub-District with Winchester Registration District

5.1

Eastleigh is currently a sub-district of the Winchester registration district. Customers can only effect the registration of births and deaths in the sub- district in which the event occurred. As with Havant, Gosport, Fareham and Droxford it is appropriate to give customers more choice and better access to the registration service. It is therefore proposed to incorporate Eastleigh sub-district into the Winchester registration district. This will allow the registration of births and deaths, and marriage notices to be made at either office, e.g. Eastleigh or Winchester.

6.

Bishop's Waltham Registration Office (Droxford District)

6.1

The current register office for the Droxford District is located in Bank House, Bishop's Waltham. It does not, and cannot be adapted to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The marriage room is situated on the first floor and the Registrar of births and deaths is on the ground floor but with various levels to be negotiated for internal access. Access into the building is directly from the pavement on a blind bend in a busy road. There is no other accessible space for photo opportunities.

6.2

The register office in Bishop's Waltham is open to the public on a part-time basis 10 hours per week for births and deaths registration, and 8 hours per week for marriage notices. A limited number of marriage ceremonies are also held in the register office.

6.3

It is intended to continue this part-time service but in light of the accommodation issues at Bank House, it is proposed to seek alternative accommodation within Bishops Waltham. Subject to the outcome of this exercise it may be necessary to consider at a future date the provision of an appointment and peripatetic service for births and deaths registration, and marriage notices. Marriage ceremonies could take place in the newly refurbished Fareham Registration Office.

7.

Provision at Denmead

7.1

Denmead is currently identified as an out-station of Droxford registration district. There is no dedicated office (a room in the Church Hall was previously used) and the out-station service has not been used for many years. It is proposed to formally remove any reference to this out-station from the new draft scheme for Hampshire. As this service has not been provided for some time it will not have an impact on the public who use either the Havant or Petersfield register office.

8

Consultation and timetable

8.1

Following approval of the proposals contained in this report and receipt of the Draft Scheme from the GRO it is intended to consult with a range of stakeholders including local members, Parish Councils, Coroner, GP surgeries, funeral directors, hospitals and nursing homes. The Draft Scheme is unlikely to be available until June/July following which the consultation process will begin in August. The results of the consultation will be reported to the Executive Member and Registrar General later this year when formal ratification of the new Draft Scheme for the Hampshire Registration Service will be sought.

Recommendation(s)

That:

1.

The Registrar General is requested to draw up a New Draft scheme for Hampshire to cover:

1. The amalgamation of Droxford and South East Hampshire Districts.

2. The unification of Gosport, Havant, Fareham and Eastleigh sub-districts into their main registration districts.

3. The provision of an appointment and peripatetic service only at the Gosport out-station.

4. The exclusion of Denmead from the new Draft Scheme.

2.

Alternative accommodation is sought to maintain an out-station service in the Bishop's Waltham area.

3.

A further report be presented to the Executive Member later this year following the consultation exercise