Decision details

The service proposes to increase discretionary fees for ceremonies to ensure that the cost of providing, developing and enhancing the service offer is met.

(i) That discretionary registration fees are increased as described in the table at paragraph 1.2 of the report with effect from 1st September 2019; and

(ii) after consultation with Financial Services, on an annual basis, the service increases discretionary costs in line with inflationary pressures.

Income from fees is used to maintain financial and operational capacity in registering births, deaths and marriages, ensuring customers continue to receive the highest standard of service during their significant life events and also to ensure that facilities continue to be maintained to a high standard in future.

Increasing income is preferable to reducing costs which would result in a reduction in quality of the service provided.

The Council could maintain its current discretionary fees. This option would not generate the additional income required to respond to the budget challenge of income currently being exceeded by operating costs or to improve the ceremony offer to citizens.

The service could cut costs such as salary costs rather than increase fees.  This would result in a reduction in the quality of the service provided and significantly undermine the service’s capacity to perform both its statutory and discretionary functions.