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Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report Page 1 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08 Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Report of the Corporate Director of Support Services to Cabinet on 11 March 2008 Report prepared by: Karen Wright Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report Economic & Environmental Scrutiny Committee - Executive Councillor: Brian Kelly A Part 1 Public Agenda Item 1. Purpose of Report 1.1 To update Members on the outcome of the recent restructure of the Registration Service delivered in 2007/08 implemented to meet the ‘new governance’ requirements’ of the General Register Office (GRO). 1.2 To inform Members of the newly introduced performance management framework within the service as prescribed by the GRO and which came into effect on 1 October 2007. 1.3 To provide Members with an update on the current service offer within the Council’s Registration Service which has been enhanced for 2008/09. 2. Recommendations 2.1 That the finalised structure for the service which has now reached completion (attached at Appendix 1) be noted. 2.2 That the newly imposed national standards for the Registration Service (overview attached at Appendix 2) be noted. 2.3 That current portfolio of services offered by the Registration Service including newly introduced services (attached at Appendix 3) be noted. 3. Background 3.1 Members will recall a Cabinet report of June 2007 in which the need to restructure the Registration Service in line with national requirements was first explained. In 2002 The White Paper ‘Civil Registration: Vital Change’ was published which set out an agenda for a modern, effective and high quality registration service in keeping with the Government’s wider reform agenda. This document referred to four guiding principles to improve customer service. Agenda Item No.
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Page 1: Southend-on-Sea Borough Council Council... · 2008-04-24 · Southend-on-Sea Registration District. 3.4 The requirement to deliver the ‘New Governance’ in Southend necessitated

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 1 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

Southend-on-Sea Borough CouncilReport of the Corporate Director of Support Services

toCabinet

on11 March 2008

Report prepared by: Karen Wright

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only ReportEconomic & Environmental Scrutiny Committee - Executive Councillor: Brian Kelly

A Part 1 Public Agenda Item

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 To update Members on the outcome of the recent restructure of the Registration Service delivered in 2007/08 implemented to meet the ‘new governance’ requirements’ of the General Register Office (GRO).

1.2 To inform Members of the newly introduced performance management framework within the service as prescribed by the GRO and which came into effect on 1 October 2007.

1.3 To provide Members with an update on the current service offer within the Council’s Registration Service which has been enhanced for 2008/09.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the finalised structure for the service which has now reached completion (attached at Appendix 1) be noted.

2.2 That the newly imposed national standards for the Registration Service (overview attached at Appendix 2) be noted.

2.3 That current portfolio of services offered by the Registration Service including newly introduced services (attached at Appendix 3) be noted.

3. Background

3.1 Members will recall a Cabinet report of June 2007 in which the need to restructure the Registration Service in line with national requirements was first explained. In 2002 The White Paper ‘Civil Registration: Vital Change’ was published which set out an agenda for a modern, effective and high quality registration service in keeping with the Government’s wider reform agenda. This document referred to four guiding principles to improve customer service.

AgendaItem No.

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Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 2 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

Setting national standards within a framework of clear accountability, designed to ensure that citizens have the right to high quality services wherever they live

More flexibility so that public service organisations and their staff are better able to provide modern public service

Devolution and delegation to the front line, giving local leaders responsibility and accountability for delivery, and the opportunity to design services around the needs of the local people

More customer choice and ability, if provision is poor, to have an alternative provider

3.2 In the absence of primary legislation to take forward changes outlined in the White Paper, the General Register Office (GRO) and the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) jointly developed proposals for a more modern governance framework for the delivery of local services. The proposals were consulted upon in the position paper ‘Registration Modernisation’ published in 2005 and agreed by Government – in a written statement to Parliament by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury – on 25 May 2006. Their proposals culminated in a scheme change in what came to be called ‘New Governance’.

3.3 The target date for implementation of this scheme change for Southend-on-Sea was 1 October 2007. Essentially, this required the local authority to become the sole employer of all registration staff and that the borough boundary to form the Southend-on-Sea Registration District.

3.4 The requirement to deliver the ‘New Governance’ in Southend necessitated a fundamental restructure of the service and the cessation of the long standing relationship with Essex County Council in respect of undertaking marriage related tasks in Castle Point and Rochford districts on their behalf.

3.5 Prior to the restructure being undertaken, the Registration Service at Southend comprised 13 full time equivalent (FTE) staff supported by a number of ‘sessional’ staff. Of these, 5 occupied statutory posts holding their positions ‘at the pleasure of the General Registrar’.

4. Current Position

4.1 Southend has complied with this requirement and has been successfully registered with the GRO as an authority ‘capable of delivering a Registration Service which meets the Modernisation Agenda’.

4.2 Between June 2007 and December 2007 the following has been achieved:

Managed the split from Essex County Council both in terms of staff and budgets

Devised and delivered a new staffing structure to deliver the service; all staff are now employees of the Borough Council

In-depth recruitment process to appoint to the new structure Applied job evaluation to all registration posts Implemented single status in the registration service

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Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 3 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

Developed a performance management and monitoring system to evaluate service delivery

Satisfied the General Register Office Inspectors that Southend is capable of responsibility of the service and performing satisfactorily against the New Governance Standards

4.3 The door is now open for the Council to develop the registration service in a way best suited to customer need and council ambitions. An early ambition for the registration service is seen as it being developed as a vital portal for access to services. Sign posting customers to alternate services and referring and relaying information to other council services.

5. Corporate Implications

5.1 The delivery of all of the registration services contributes to the Council’s following corporate objectives:

develop stronger communities improve community engagement, participation and satisfaction embed equality and diversity in everything we do

5.2 Equalities Impact - an Equalities Impact Assessment has been completed for the service and the action plan is now being implemented.

5.3 Risk Assessment - a Risk Register has been completed for the service.

5.4 Value for Money - some of the services have fees set by the General Register Office, and their guidance on some other services is that they are not to be considered as profit making opportunities.

5.5 Community Safety Implications - no specific implications

5.6 Environmental Impact - no specific implications

6. Background Papers

6.1 A Guide for Councils on the Delivery of Local Registration Services

7. Appendices

7.1 Appendix 1 - The new structure of the Registration Service in Southend

7.2 Appendix 2 – An overview of the newly introduced standards against which the Council’s performance will be measured.

7.3 Appendix 3 – Current service offer including newly introduced services

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Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 4 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

Appendix 1

Southend Registration ServiceStructure

Group Manager

Access To Services

To be evaluated

Registration ManagerLevel 9

Senior Registration Officer

(statutory SRResponsibility)

To be evaluated

Registration Officers x4

(1 statutory RBD responsibility)

Level 7

Registration Officer(Admin & Finance)

Level 631 hours

Registration Assistants X2

Level 5

Registration AssistantLevel 4

Sessional Staff

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Appendix 2

Overview of the newly imposed national standards

GRO/LACORS Guide to Good Practice inLocal Registration Services

Organisation and Customer Service Delivery

OVERALL STANDARD

Key Activity National Standards Good Practice Better Practice3.1 **Customer 85% or more of 90% or more of 95% or more ofsatisfaction customers satisfied. customers satisfied. customers satisfied.

3.2 Suggestions and complaints

A well publicised, easy to use suggestions and complaints procedure.

Suggestions and complaints procedures made available for all as widely as possible.

Summary of suggestions and complaints published, together with theimprovements made as a result.

Number of formal Number of formal Number of formalcomplaints received complaints received complaints receivedfewer than 0.5% of fewer than 0.3% of fewer than 0.1% ofall registrations. all registrations. all registrations.

**The Council decides itself how to define and measure customer satisfaction. The basis used should be consistent with Council methodologies for other customer facing services

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 5 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

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GRO/LACORS Guide to Good Practice inLocal Registration Services

ORGANISATIONAL STANDARDS

Additional information on national standards is included in the guiding principles paragraphs of section 1. This section should be viewed in conjunction with specific standards in subsequent sections.

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 6 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

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GRO/LACORS Guide to Good Practice inLocal Registration Services

Organisation and Customer Service Delivery

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CUSTOMER FOCUSED STANDARDS

GRO/LACORS Guide to Good Practice

in Local Registration Services

3.11 Time and venue for civil marriages and partnerships

Bookings made up to 12 months in advance.

Provisional bookings made up to 12 months in advance.

Provisional bookings made beyond 12 months in advance.

3.12 Arranging citizenship ceremonies

100% of prospective citizens offered a date to attend a citizenship ceremony at no extra cost within 90 days of the Home Off ice invitation letter.

100% of prospective citizens offered adate to attend a citizenship ceremony at no extra cost within 60 days of the Home Office invitation letter.

100% of prospective cit izens offered a date to attend a citizenship ceremony at no extra cost within 30 days of the H o m e O f f i c e invitation letter.

Additional information on national standards is included in the guiding principles paragraphs of section 1. This section should be viewed in conjunction with specific standards in subs

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 7 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

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Appendix 3

The Registration Service in Southend currently provides the following services:

Notice of Marriage and Civil Partnership Conducting Marriage and Civil Partnership Ceremonies Birth and Death Registrations, including declarations, re-registrations and corrections Naming Ceremonies Renewal of Vows Ceremonies Commitment Ceremonies Provision of Copy Certificates Floral Service Stationery Service Provision of statistical information on Life Events Wedding Exhibitions Licensing of Approved Venues and Places of Worship Advertising Opportunities for Businesses with related services

New Services to be introduced from April 2008

Nationality Checking Service – new service recently introduced Remembrance Funerals – new service recently introduced

Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 8 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08

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Update on the Registration Service – Information Only Report

Page 9 of 10 Report No: SS66 2007-08


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