Author Topic: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?  (Read 52144 times)

Offline acorngen

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #45 on: Wednesday 28 April 10 01:58 BST (UK) »
Mosher,

Are you not in the UK?

Rob
WYATT, COX, STRATTON, all from south Derbyshire and the STS, LEI border Burns Fellows Gough Wilks from STS in particular Black Country and now heading into SOP

Offline mosher

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #46 on: Wednesday 28 April 10 03:28 BST (UK) »
No I am an Aussie.   ;D  My dad's family are all from Lancashire tho, mainly around the Wigan area.  His Mum & Dad's families both emigrated early 1900's.  Strange that they met and married here in Oz when they came from the same area's.  Maybe the families knew each other.

I must admit it is fascinating looking into the UK side of it, from an Aussie point of view. 

Offline acorngen

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #47 on: Wednesday 28 April 10 09:49 BST (UK) »
Mosher,

That explains the percentage comment :)

Rob
WYATT, COX, STRATTON, all from south Derbyshire and the STS, LEI border Burns Fellows Gough Wilks from STS in particular Black Country and now heading into SOP

Offline plimmerian

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #48 on: Tuesday 11 May 10 15:25 BST (UK) »
said it before and will say it again - what was the point of the freedom of information act!!!  ::)

surprising myself by saying this but St Helens has a fab burial records online site to search

the new bmd certificate fee is disgusting

GRO handling of the situation was appalling:
- 3 certificates sent in error, the "checking" details didn't match (had to return them and got only a partial refund)
- 2 certificates not sent because of 1) birth date and 2) middle name error but parents names matched exactly (another way of them making money and was again only sent a partial refund)

we should take to the streets and protest at the unfair treatment of family historians  ;)

re: admin staff very busy to deal with the back log of certificate requests for family history - enough of us out there I imagine willing to volunteer to work at the register office and handle the family history requests of others - I know I would - might handle them with a bit more empathy.

ok rant over! lol

 ;D


Offline Guy Etchells

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #49 on: Tuesday 11 May 10 16:41 BST (UK) »
said it before and will say it again - what was the point of the freedom of information act!!!  ::)

The point was to make information available not to make information free.

surprising myself by saying this but St Helens has a fab burial records online site to search

the new bmd certificate fee is disgusting


Why by law government departments have to charge the sum it costs to supply the information requested. The costs of supplying a certificate of bm or d has been worked out and the fee set.
That is the fee the GRO (Identity & Passport Service) has to charge they have no say in the matter.

GRO handling of the situation was appalling:
- 3 certificates sent in error, the "checking" details didn't match (had to return them and got only a partial refund)
- 2 certificates not sent because of 1) birth date and 2) middle name error but parents names matched exactly (another way of them making money and was again only sent a partial refund)

It seems you are not happy when the certificates are sent if the details do not all tally and you are not happy if the certificates are withheld because the details do not tally.

If you are not happy with the refund complain under the Sale of Goods Act. If the goods supplied did not match the description or were otherwise unfit for purpose you are entitled to a full refund.
Don't moan on a forum; claim your legal rights.

we should take to the streets and protest at the unfair treatment of family historians  ;)

Some of us take action some of us moan about it but take no action. The choice is yours.

re: admin staff very busy to deal with the back log of certificate requests for family history - enough of us out there I imagine willing to volunteer to work at the register office and handle the family history requests of others - I know I would - might handle them with a bit more empathy.

ok rant over! lol

 ;D
Do you have the correct raining and qualifications or experience to handle the requests?
Could you do it accurately and efficiently or would staff be tied up trying to teach you the ropes?

May I suggest if you have not been on a tour of Southport try to go on the next available tour. You could be surprised at just how much time, care and checking goes into the production of a certificate.
Cheers
Guy
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Offline plimmerian

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #50 on: Tuesday 11 May 10 17:49 BST (UK) »
"The point was to make information available not to make information free."

Sadly the information still doesn't appear to becoming easily available!

"It seems you are not happy when the certificates are sent if the details do not all tally and you are not happy if the certificates are withheld because the details do not tally."

When asking for a death of the wife of "Mr. X" and the certificate sent is a spinster - that is sloppy handling!

Equally when asking for the death of the wife "of Mr. Y" and the certificate is of the wife of "Mr. Z" - again very sloppy!

When asking for two births with a specific ref and naming same father and mother with same maiden surname - I would have expected a call or email asking despite the details (ie middle name / day and month of birth) not matching, did I still want the full copy. (The surname isn't a common one like Smith or Jones!)

I have complained and sent two emails already and as yet, I still have had no reply.

I have had the most support and help from the Wrexham Reg Office (when requesting JONES certificates) and only had to wait about 15mins when visiting St Helens Reg Office after requesting a certificate.

I understand staff must be very busy with real life events happening daily but I do feel, in some circumstances, we (the family historians) are considered a nuisance.

I was not aware of visits arranged to the GRO in Southport and would relish the opportunity to find out what happens behind the scenes of the GRO or any local Reg Office for that matter. When I have enquired in the past, I have been informed that that is just not possible.

I am not moaning for the sake of moaning, I am sharing my experience with other people on the forum, I thought that was what a forum was all about.

Hence the smilies!

 ;D

Offline Parmesan

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #51 on: Thursday 13 May 10 14:17 BST (UK) »
Ok had another reply back and the 1 pound admin charge is apparently only for credit/debit card purchases and knowing the fees involved for this service I cannot blame them for wanting a pound.  It is a  little higher than corner shops charge but understandable.

I told them to look at  their website and ammend it because this is not how it reads

Rob

No change to the website or UKBMB/Lancashire BMD application form, still quoting £10 including £1 admin charge.

"The cost of all standard birth, death and marriage certificates is £10.00 (inclusive of the administration fee) when applying for certificates via post, online or with a credit/ debit card. We cannot issue a certificate until we have received payment. Cheques or postal orders should be made payable to 'Salford City Council'."

via post, online or with a credit/ debit card  what other way is there?  ???
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Offline Cal241

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #52 on: Thursday 13 May 10 22:19 BST (UK) »
we are oop North and suspect they are trying to say that they moving away from 'pigeon post'  ;)

Cal 8)
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Offline Parmesan

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Re: Salford Council are having a laugh aren't they?
« Reply #53 on: Thursday 13 May 10 23:34 BST (UK) »
I am oop North, I prefer pigeon post if it saves me a quid  ;D
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