Fees are reviewed and determined on an annual basis and in July 2014 a review of ceremony fees was 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. Further 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).
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: (All Wards);