Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?

[Parmesan]

Graham, it is not a case of 'getting the answer I want' it is a case of trying to get an answer that makes any sense to me.

"In answer to your request the council can confirm that, in accordance with the Local Government Act 2003 (General Power for authorities to charge for Discretionary Services), it was decided to charge an administration fee on all certificate applications made to this authority by all means of application with the exception of an application made in person. The fee of £1.00 was confirmed, in line with other AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) authorities levying an extra fee in addition to the statutory fee of £9.00 per certificate."

The AGMA deciding amongst themselves to charge an extra fee (only one other of the Association does) does not seem to me to be a valid reason to make the charge.  Maybe I'm wrong but that has not yet been satisfactorily explained to me.

"Only where the local authority provides an additional, discretionary service, is it able to charge a supplementary fee (to recover the cost) under the powers available to it under the Local Government Act 2003."

They have not yet said just what their 'additional discretionary service' is, that is what I have asked for clarification on.

But we could go on for days, so let's just agree to disagree re whether I should pursue my complaint or not. 

[GrahamH]

Graham, it is not a case of 'getting the answer I want' it is a case of trying to get an answer that makes any sense to me.

"In answer to your request the council can confirm that, in accordance with the Local Government Act 2003 (General Power for authorities to charge for Discretionary Services), it was decided to charge an administration fee on all certificate applications made to this authority by all means of application with the exception of an application made in person. The fee of £1.00 was confirmed, in line with other AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) authorities levying an extra fee in addition to the statutory fee of £9.00 per certificate."

The AGMA deciding amongst themselves to charge an extra fee (only one other of the Association does) does not seem to me to be a valid reason to make the charge.  Maybe I'm wrong but that has not yet been satisfactorily explained to me.

"Only where the local authority provides an additional, discretionary service, is it able to charge a supplementary fee (to recover the cost) under the powers available to it under the Local Government Act 2003."

They have not yet said just what their 'additional discretionary service' is, that is what I have asked for clarification on.

But we could go on for days, so let's just agree to disagree re whether I should pursue my complaint or not. 

The explanation of what is the 'additional discretionary service' is staring everyone in the face in the response:

it was decided to charge an administration fee on all certificate applications made to this authority by all means of application with the exception of an application made in person.

If you care to look back at previous posts you will see that I have, several times, made the same point - including what I said in response to Rob a week ago:

If posting, twice

I go into Salford Register Office looking for the birth of Joe Bloggs some time in the 1920s (say), find it in the index, write the exact details on the form and hand it to the registrar and pay £9
or I apply by post, by telephone with a debit/credit card or on-line using the procedure at http://www.salford.gov.uk/familyhistory.htm and linked pages (which includes asking the registrar to search for Joe Bloggs rather than giving the exact details of the certificate required) and pay an extra £1 for that search, which is outside the statutory duty.]

does not make it clear enough, perhaps this third time will. In simple terms, if I go and search the index myself (from a starting point of knowing the event happened in (say) the 1920s) I can find the entry and tell the registrar exactly where in the books to go. If I apply other than in person I can only tell the registrar that I think it happened in the 1920s and require him to undertake the search to find it.

Graham

[Guy Etchells]

I am still of the opinion that the fee is illegal.
Cheers
Guy

[GrahamH]

That's fair enough Guy but the position we have is that Salford Council is convinced that the fee is legal.

Would you not agree that the only way to obtain a definitive answer, one way or the other, is to go to court as there is no other person/body which can arbitrate?

Graham

[kooky]

I've been following this thread, somewhat bemused.
I now find that I need to send to Salford for a possible death cert.
I think I will have to bite the bullet and send the £10
Kooky

[MUMMYG]

If you sent £9 like everywhere else charges, plus an SAE, do you think they would waste taxpayers money and staff time returning it because you hadnt sent enough?

[LizzieW]

I now find that I need to send to Salford for a possible death cert

  Why not apply to GRO at a saving of 50p    Or do Salford still check that the cert is the one you want before taking your money and sending out the wrong one?

[kooky]

I am not entirely sure that the cert. I'm after will be correct. Hm...
Kooky

[kooky]

I e-mailed Salford with all the details.
They replied straight away saying they had found the entry, but that the age did not match. They told me how to apply for the cert. if I wanted it.
I've no complaints about the service, for free!
Kooky