Shropshire Star

Fury sparked over Shropshire register office review

Concern was today raised over proposals to close register offices as part of a cost-cutting operation in Shropshire.

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Shropshire Council says fewer people are using some offices, partly due to more services being offered online.

The council is considering three possible options – making no change, closing three of the most under-used offices in Church Stretton, Bishop's Castle and Wem, or in the most extreme case closing all offices other than a central one in Shrewsbury.

Bishop's Castle – either close the office, or run an appointment-only service

Bridgnorth – increase in appointments, if other nearby offices have to close

Church Stretton – closure of office

Ludlow – reduce the opening hours

Market Drayton – increase opening hours to 13.5 per week

Oswestry – increase opening hours to create a full-time service

Shrewsbury – remain the same

Wem – close the office

Whitchurch – increase opening hours to 13.5 per week.

The second option will mean saving about £50,000, or £100,000 if the third option was adopted, the council said.

A six-week public consultation is due to close on June 26.

Civic leaders in the areas today urged the public to have their say on the proposals.

Mayor of Wem Councillor Mandy Meakin said: "These proposals make me cross. I don't think they have thought through the logistics.

"For an elderly person who has just lost their husband or wife it will be hard for them to get to Whitchurch or Shrewsbury to register the death. It is just stupid.

"It will mostly affect the elderly. At the moment they can just go to Edinburgh House and register the death and go home. If the new plans are accepted they will have to get a bus or train to do so, which is not easy anyway, let alone if they are upset.

"I am really cross about these plans. It seems everything in Wem is being taken from us. I urge the people of Wem to let Shropshire Council know your views."

Michael Braid, outgoing mayor of Church Stretton, said while the registrar , based in the library, had perhaps not been the most over-worked, how things would work if it closed would still have to be thought through.

"South Shropshire is full of little enclaves where people go to retire," he said. "In Church Stretton we have very few births, but a lot of deaths. It's obviously going to be inconvenient for a dear old lady of 90 who has to go to Shrewsbury or Ludlow to register the death of her husband. Perhaps there could be a roving registrar that travels around."

Shelia Richardson, chair of the Wem Civic Society, said the register office is a very important facility for the town.

She said: "I had to use it a couple of months ago to sadly register a death.

"I don't drive, so if it was moved to Shrewsbury I would have had to use a train and a bus to get there.

"If you are dealing with bereavement and sorting things, like a funeral plan, the last thing you want to do is travel a long way to register the death.

"It is the principle as well. We pay the same rates but we are getting a decreased service. If you want a healthy vibrant town you need the services.

"The withdrawal of the service would be devastating."

There are currently 11 locations in the Shropshire Council area where registrars offer a variety of services ranging from birth and death registrations, to marriage and civil ceremonies and nationality checking. Karen Calder, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for health, said: "Registrars services play a vital role at key points in people's lives, and we want to ensure they continue to serve and meet the needs of local communities in a more sustainable and cost-effective way.

"The low usage of some of our register offices, combined with a reduction in staff resources and future plans to use technology to enable ceremonies to be booked online, gives us an opportunity to look at how we can rationalise and reshape these services to better serve our local communities and further reduce costs.

"I would encourage everyone to get involved in the consultation. Your views will help inform and shape the way in which, and where, the registrar's services will be delivered in the future."

For further information and to take part in the survey, go to www.shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved and look for Registrars Consultation.

Closing date for feedback is Friday, June 26.

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