Aberdeenshire UNISON
       
 
 

Consultation on the Review of Registrar Services May 2014

UNISON response

UNISON calls for rethink on Registrar closure plans

UNISON has called for a rethink on proposals to close a number of Registrar Offices amidst concerns that they will badly affect public access to a well valued service.

The council plans to close offices in Banchory, Turriff, Alford and Maud and the home based registration in Insch, removing local access to Registrar services in these areas.

Inez Teece
Inez Teece

Inez Teece, Branch Secretary, in responding to the council’s consultation on these plans said, “All these offices provide a much respected service to the local community and it is believed their loss will impact greatly on those communities.

"Banchory is a busy office with many advance bookings for weddings and the closure will impact not only on the staff affected but also on the economy of the local area through loss of revenue for weddings.  It is one of the busier offices. Aboyne, on the other hand, covers Upper Deeside and remote rural areas and UNISON believes that both offices serve a population that values their Registrar Offices."

Inez went on, "Turriff is again part of the community and to lose the registrar service when a newly refurbished suite remains available seems to be counter intuitive.

UNISON is also concerned about proposals to close Alford, which serves a wide rural community. "Other locations can be difficult to access from the Alford area," warned Inez, "Thus if removed, the proposals would not be serving the community and would mean the public would struggle to access Registrar services.

"Maud although close to other settlements again serves the rural population of North/Central Aberdeenshire.  A service valued by those that use it.

"And Insch provides a unique bespoke service that again is much valued by those that use it.

"The closure of offices is always controversial but with Registrar Services, which deal with often difficult and sensitive registrations such as the loss of a loved one, people are keen to keep the service close to home."

To read the full document, click here.

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