Agenda item

(To receive a report from Donna Sharp (County Services Manager – Registration & Celebratory Service and Coroners Service) which provides an update on the progress and performance of the Registration, Celebratory and Coroners Service)

The County Services Manager provided an update on the Registration, Celebratory and Coroners Service (RCCS), focusing on the following:

·   Activity Levels and Budget

·   Assurance

·   Challenges

·   Medical Examiners

·   Stillbirths

·   Promotion, Marketing and Signposting

The County Services Manager was pleased to confirm the appointment of a new Senior Coroner to replace Stuart Fisher, the current Senior Coroner, following his retirement in October 2018. The Committee gave thanks to Stuart Fisher for his long service to the people of Lincolnshire and welcomed the new coroner.

The Committee were also asked for their views on whether the £4 statutory fee for the copy certificate at the point of registering stillbirths should be waived. The Committee were informed that, based on the 31 stillbirths recorded in Lincolnshire in 2018/19, the cost impact would amount to less than £150 per year. They were also asked for their views on eliminating the certificate costs for registering the death of somebody under 18 years old, which based on an average of 8 deaths per year, would have a cost impact of approximately £100 per year.

It was highlighted that there had continued to be difficulty in registering deaths within the 5 day period, where there had been no referral to the coroner. It was noted that many Medical Certificates of Cause of Death were not completed until day 3 or 4, and once the family had collected the certificate and contacted the service, the five day target was unachievable, and that there had been difficulties nationally in meeting the target.

Questions and comments from councillors and officers included the following:

• It was questioned whether there needed to be a restriction on the number of copies of the stillbirth certificated, if the fee was to be waived. The County Services Manager felt that it was unlikely for people to want lots of copies of the certificated, but it could be monitored.
• The County Services Manager agreed to revisit the Coroners Service Budget to present it in a clearer form.
• It was noted that there was limited income generated from the Coroners Service.
• The County Services Manager understood members' frustration that the registration service still didn't have a card payment facility available to families and ensured the Committee that and there had been continued efforts to resolve this at a corporate level. It was hoped that there would be card payment facility available by April 2019.
• It was clarified that the fees for the registration of births and marriages were set nationally.
• It was agreed that a definition of lawful and unlawful killing be circulated to the Committee following the meeting.
• Members requested whether the County Services Manager could return on an annual basis to provide an update to the Committee.

The Committee unanimously supported that a request be made to the Executive / Executive Councillor for Culture and Emergency Services to review the waiver of fees for copy certificates in these circumstances.

The Committee felt strongly that the costs associated with the registration of stillbirths should be waived, and unanimously support a formal recommendation to the Executive to consider the waiver of the £4 statutory fee for copy certificates at the point of registration for stillbirths and for all deaths under the age of 18.

RESOLVED

1. That the report and comments made be noted
2. That the Committee thank Stuart Fisher, Senior Coroner, for his long service to the people of Lincolnshire
3. That a warm welcome be offered to the new Senior Coroner for Lincolnshire
4. That an annual update for the Registration, Celebratory and Coroners Service be scheduled
5. That the Committee support a formal recommendation to the Executive to consider the waiver of the £4 statutory fee for copy certificates at the point of registration for stillbirths and for all deaths under the age of 18