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Published:
July 14, 2008
Fears
raised for future of Burnham-On-Sea Registry Office
Burnham-On-Sea
town councillors have this week raised concerns about the long-term
future of the town's Registry Office following a three-month 'temporary
closure'.
 The
office, based at Burnham and Highbridge Town Council's chambers
in Jaycroft Road (pictured), has been shut for over three months
due to the absence of a key staff member through illness.
This,
in turn, means Burnham residents wanting to officially register
births, deaths, adoptions and marriages have to make an appointment
to visit the nearest registry office in Bridgwater.
While
Somerset County Council says this is just a "temporary closure,"
town councillors are concerned about the longer term future of
the service.
"This
is a very unsatisfactory situation," said Cllr Neville Jones
this week. "I know one funeral service in town has already
expressed its disquiet about the current extended closure."
"How
long must we wait for it to be re-opened, or is this part of a
plan to transfer the service to Bridgwater? With a town of over
20,000 people, it's important that we have a registry office here
in Burnham."
He
added: "Back in 1981 we had to battle to save our registry
office when it was in the Manor House. The county council said
at that time that it wanted to close the office and we had to
take our fight to the minister, who eventually ruled the service
should not close."
Burnham-On-Sea.com
contacted Somerset County Council about the future of the office
and spokesman Alex Bacon told us: "There is no intention
to close the registry office long term. Somerset County Council
hopes to open it in the next few weeks."
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