Staff attack registration service changes (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Staff attack registration service changes

STAFF have launched a blistering attack on a planned shake-up of the registration service in Gloucestershire.

In a letter to the county's proper registration officer, Roger Marles, last month, more than 40 registration service staff - around 80 per cent of the total - accused Gloucestershire County Council of a series of "failures" in its handling of the proposed changes.

Staff also called for the plans to be halted until all outstanding issues are resolved.

As reported in the Journal last week, the proposals, if adopted, will mean the north Cotswolds will lose its register office in Moreton in favour of a single centralised registration office in Cheltenham.

Although the Moreton office will be re-designated a registration office and still have a marriage room, there are fears - denied by the county council - that the move will spell an end to basic £40 register office civil weddings in the north of the county.

Now, in the letter to Mr Marles, staff - including superintendent registrars, registrars and deputy registrars - have claimed their professional and technical opinions have been "largely ignored" and Best Value statutory guidance "often disregarded".

The staff have also attacked management's "ineffective decision-making" and accused them of leaving employees "overstretched, confused and frustrated."

Terry Standing, director for community safety at Gloucestershire County Council said: "I am very much aware of the concerns of staff and have worked with them to ensure their professional views are taken seriously. Frankly, without their knowledge it would be impossible to deliver these changes, all staff fully support the changes but we need to work together to deliver them in a timely manner, I believe we are doing that with their help".

County Councillor Shaun Parsons, cabinet member for community safety, said: "We will continue to give additional support to all members of the registration service throughout the implementation of the change programme."