The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

My replacement SGC and EFP arrived in the post today, it seemed to take a little longer than normal and my SGC now has a lot of zero's leading the number...

On an interesting note I was told recently that my Firearms licensing team are to merge with another county and will no longer be located locally, anyone else heard similar stories in other areas?

It's looking like Scotland's forces are to merge into possibly one or maybe four forces. Whatever the outcome I hope they/it doesn't follow the example of Strathclyde's firearms licencing.

County forces merging has been talked about since, at least, the Second World War, when a plan was drawn up to have just one Police Force.
When I was in Northants it was often discussed that they would Join with Leicestershire and Warrickshire. Interestingly Northants always denied this where as Leicester openly said that it was going to happen and had already done radio research on radio reception.

No Idea who Beds would join with, I think you have Thames Valley on one side, not sure about the other sides - other than Northants.

I would be surprised if only the FET merged, it would be difficult to supervise and manage. A early clue is as to who you have to make your payments to.

DM

HI

Beds and Herts are merging/have merged. Thames Valley already have some links set up with Hants but so far thankfully not Firearms. I believe there are other mergers under consideration (West Mids/West Mercia would be an obvious one)

I guess it's not surprising that certain non-police functions would be considered mergable (is that a word?) due to the serious reductions in the police budget.

Airkid

My opinion of the Bedfordshire team is well documented on other forums and probably here as well, in all the years I have known them they have always given a superb service, been fair in all aspects and gone the extra mile to help out with any queries, they have turned variations around while I waited, offered advice and are first class people.

I was truly disappointed to hear they were merging and I will be sad to see them move away. So no more Kempston team. Apparently in the future they will only do house visits for new licences and changes in security so no more personal touch, and no more 5 minute drive to pop in and see them either.

I suspect it will be the end of the road for some of the team as well as i doubt they will all be able to commute to the new location and no doubt some will not have a role in the new organisation.

Ovenpaa

Not sure where the new offices will be. Herts FLD are based in Stevenage I think. I'm sure there will be some staff who won't move and will no doubt either leave, or if they are lucky, get other jobs in the organisation.

On a personal note, the Herts team are OK



Airkid

As far as I know they are relocating to Hertford itself so perhaps it is a merge and double move exercise.

I think we will see a lot more of this over the coming year.. Could prove interesting if the HOSC suggested changes to licensing get on the statute. Watch your turnaround times for renewal and variation go off the clock if that happens.

Airkid

God forbid Strathclyde control, licencing in Scotland..Grampian should get it...seems they live in the real world