AGENDA ITEM

BOROUGH OF POOLE

RESOURCES OVERVIEW GROUP

9 FEBRUARY 2006

REGISTRATION MODERNISATION – A POSITION AND CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE DELIVERY OF THE LOCAL REGISTRATION SERVICES IN ENGLAND AND WALES

PART OF PUBLISHED FORWARD PLANYES

1.PURPOSE AND POLICY CONTENT

1.1To inform Members of the receipt of a Consultation Paper issued by the Registrar General concerning the proposed modernisation of the Local Registration Services.

2.DECISION REQUIRED

2.1To authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to respond to the Consultation document in accordance with the outline responses at Appendix A to this report, prepared by the Registration Team.

3.BACKGROUND

3.1Modernisation of the Civil Registration Services is long overdue and in 2002 the Government published a White Paper entitled “Civil Registration: Vital Change” which set out an agenda for a modern, effective and high quality Registration Service.

3.2The White Paper was welcomed by the Council and proposed quite major changes, viz:

  • that Local Authorities be given responsibility for delivering the local Registration Service
  • that Superintendent Registrars and Registrars of births and deaths become Local Authority employees
  • that couples should have greater choice on where and when to marry
  • that it should be possible to register births and deaths on-line or by phone in addition to continuing to have a choice of doing so in person
  • the creation of a central database which would form the legal record in place of bound registers and allow electronic transmission of information to and from the Registrar General
  • the introduction of a new regime for accessing registration information and different arrangements for storing the original registers.

3.3A large number of the proposals would have required legislation and those relating to births and deaths and other associated organisational changes were presented to Parliament in July 2004 as a draft Order to be made under the Regulatory Reform Act 2001.

3.4Unfortunately, in December 2004 Parliament’s Regulatory Reform Committee reported that the proposed changes were too large and complex and taken forward by means of a Regulatory Reform Order.

3.5The Registrar General and LACORS (Local Authority Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services) remained committed to the Modernisation Agenda and following the appointment of a new Registrar General, the modernisation process has now been resurrected and a working group established to examine changes in detail.

4.POSITION AND CONSULTATION PAPER

4.1The Registrar General has now issued the Consultation document (at Appendix A).

4.2The Paper sets out those aspects of the proposed Modernisation Programme which can still be taken forward and has developed proposals for a revised Governance Framework for the delivery of local Registration Service.

4.3Certain changes can be progressed under existing legislation but it is clear that secondary and primary legislation will be required to complete the transformation.

4.4Treasury Ministers and the Registrar General have agreed that changes to the Governance arrangements need to be the subject of full consultation and this is why all interested parties are being canvassed for their views which must be submitted to the Registrar General by 20 February 2006.

4.5To assist the Consultation process five specific questions have been posed:

(i)Do you agree that a new Governance Framework is needed for the delivery of the local Registration Service?

(ii)Do you agree with the proposed revised Framework?

(iii)Do you have any comments on the draft Model Scheme or Code of Practice?

(iv)Do you have any other comments or views on the subject?

(v)Local Authorities who sign up to the new Model Scheme (and Code of Practice) will benefit from the new Governance arrangements. In principle, would your Authority wish to do so? When?

4.6Accordingly, all Local Authorities who provide local Registration Services are encouraged to respond by the appropriate date.

Tim Martin, LLB Solicitor

Head of Legal and Democratic Services

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Registration Modernisation (A Position and Consultation Paper on the Delivery of the Local Registration Service in England and Wales) General Register Office

2002 White Paper - Civil Registration: Vital Change

Written Ministerial Statement by the Financial Secretary – Mr John Healey, November 2005

Contact Officer:

Paul Morris

Registration Services Manager

Tel: 01202 633028

THE APPENDIX TO THIS REPORT IS NOT AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY – PLEASE CONTACT LEGAL AND DEMOCRATIC SERVICES SHOULD A COPY BE REQUIRED

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