Objection to plans (From Ledbury Reporter)

Objection to plans

3:50pm Monday 1st October 2012 in News

LEDBURY town councillors are strongly opposed to plans that will see the closure of Ledbury’s Registration Office in the Church Lane offices.

Under Herefordshire Council proposals, and following a consultation process that ends today, births and deaths would be registered at Hereford instead or by appointment- only on specific days, at the Herefordshire Council offices on St Katherine’s car park.

The issue was discussed by town councillors at last week’s finance and general purposes committee in the Market House.

Chairman Clive Jupp said: “Fundamentally, we are objecting, and as a counter proposal suggest that the registration office at Hereford should be closed and we should leave the service as a devolved service in the market towns, which would help to bring people into the market towns.”

Coun Keith Francis said that people who have to register a death are often in a distressed state and could find it difficult to travel in a rural county where public transport can be infrequent.

A report by John Jones, Herefordshire Council’s head of governance, and Richard Beavan-Pearson, assistant director for customer services, says increased opening hours will be provided in Hereford to offer greater flexibility to people using the service.