Issue - items at meetings - Cheshire East Council Registration Fees 2017/18 and Ceremony Fees 2019/20

To consider fee increases across a range of the non statutory fees for the Registration Service.

1. That the following ceremony fees be agreed, with the equivalent fees also applying to any Renewal of Vows ceremonies :

Recommended Fees

2019/20

Weekday £525

Sat & Sun £640

Bank Holiday £750

Christmas Day and £875

Boxing Day

2. That that the Administration fee and second stage payment for ceremonies in 2017/18 be set as follows:

Approved Premises - £100 Administration Fee

- £200 second stage payment

Mayor’s Reception Room - £100 Administration Fee

And Silk Room - £100 second stage payment

3. That the fees for ceremonies in the Mayor’s Reception Room and the Silk Room for 2018/19 be set at £260 for weekdays and £320 for Saturdays.

4. That the fee for licensing a building for Marriage and Civil Partnership be retained at £1650 for 2017/18.

5. That the fees for the Nationality Checking Service for 2017/18 be set at:

Adult - £75; and

Child under 18 - £40

6. That the fees for a Private Citizenship ceremony for 2017/18 be set at:

Adult £100 weekday;

Adult £150 weekend;

Child under 18 – nil

7. That the fees for copy certificates for 2017/18 be set at:

Standard Service (5 working days) - £10 statutory fee

Next day Service - £20 (inc £10 statutory fee for certificate)

Premium 1 hour service - £40 (inc £10 statutory fee for certificate)

It was reported that the fees are reviewed and determined on an annual basis and in July 2014 a review of ceremony fees had been undertaken for the financial years 2014/17. The majority of fees collected by the Registration Service are set by Central Government but the Council has legal authority under legislation to set fees for non statutory services.

The specific power to levy fees for Approved Premises is set out in the Marriages (Approved Premises) Regulations 2011. These state that local authorities may charge an amount determined by the authority as reasonably representing all the costs incurred by it of providing a registrar and superintendent registrar to attend at a solemnization. A specific power to charge was introduced by section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003, which gives relevant authorities the power to charge for discretionary services. In addition, the general power of competence contained in the Localism Act 2011 now sits alongside a local authority’s power to trade and charge. In common with the LGA 2003 powers, charging for things done in the exercise of the general power of competence is not a power to make a profit from those activities (unless the local authority specifically sets up a company to trade).

Consideration was given to the fee increases for 2017/18 and to the Ceremony Fees for 2019/20. It was noted that these were set this period of time ahead so as to enable users to be taken into account when making their arrangements which was often quite some time before.

RESOLVED