timescales slipped again

[steve75]

wow just checked the warwickshire police website and the time has slipped again for sgc grants. it's somehow added another month on to 9 months. what a joke.

i've not even had any kind of acknowledgement that they have received my form and when you call you just get a recorded message.

rant over  

 

[Worcs]

Yep, noticed the same thing yesterday on West Mercia. Shotgun grants up from 8 to 9 months, despite saying in October "We can confidently say that this waiting period will be reduced in the coming months". Funnily enough Firearms grants are down from 11 months to 10!

Very frustrating.

 

[Lord v]

That's just horrific.

I never got an acknowledgement that they received the form, just noticed when they cashed the cheque - If they do that they definitely have it!

 

[Paul120]

Unless there is a good reason to prevent somebody going about their rights surely this is tantamount to obsturuction.  Anybody written to their MP?

 

[Lord v]

Unless there is a good reason to prevent somebody going about their rights surely this is tantamount to obsturuction.  Anybody written to their MP?

I would agree -

I took the opportunity yesterday to write to Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, despite the fact that he is MP for my neighbouring constituency  - Firearms licencing is on his mind at the moment....

http://www.shootinguk.co.uk/news/mp-forgets-renew-firearms-licence-appalled-new-issue-time-86188

If anyone else wants to weigh in his email is:

[email protected]

 

[Lord v]

I actually got a reply:

Dear Mr. V,

 

Thank you for your email about my application for the renewal of my firearms certificate.

 

As you may appreciated, there is a parliamentary protocol which only allows Members of Parliament to reply to their own constituents, but I am grateful to you for taking the trouble to get in touch after reading of my recent experiences with the renewal of my certificate.

 

I was interested to read your comments about your own experiences with the Avon and Somerset Firearms Licensing Unit and although it was entirely my own fault that I forgot about the reminder,

what my error has opened up, which is information I might not otherwise have known, is the length of time people are having to wait for simple renewals. Whilst one might expect it to take a little longer for a new application because of the checks that are quite rightly done, it does seem a ridiculously long time for a simple renewal and my concern is not for people like myself who do a bit of shooting as hobby, but for those whose livelihood means having a firearm is essential such as gamekeepers, farmers, even vets and so on.  I have a very rural constituency and firearms are an essential part of pest control and humanely dispatching injured stock.

 

As you say, cost cutting is the excuse used for the delay and there is assumption that people who shoot will not complain as they are in a minority.  Should a similar situation arise with having to wait 16 weeks for a passport or driving license, it would simply not be and, indeed as I know from complaints, is not tolerated by the general public.

 

I am in the process of raising this matter locally and have already spoken to Home Office Ministers about the situation, including talking to the Home Secretary directly about it. I will continue to do to discuss this matter with them but in the meantime, I would also advise that you contact your own Member of Parliament to ask them to make representations directly as well because the more MPs who are raising this matter the more pressure it bring to bear on Government.

 

Many thanks for taking the trouble to get in touch.

 

Yours sincerely,

 



Ian Liddell-Grainger

 

[Worcs]

That's great that you got a reply, Lord V. I would guess the majority of MP's don't give a sh*t, Liddell-Granger just happens to have the sh*tty waiting times directly effect him recently. If L-G hadn't had the problems with his licence, I doubt he'd care too much either.

 

[Lord v]

That's great that you got a reply, Lord V. I would guess the majority of MP's don't give a sh*t, Liddell-Granger just happens to have the sh*tty waiting times directly effect him recently. If L-G hadn't had the problems with his licence, I doubt he'd care too much either.

Probably not - but might be worth taking the time to strike while the iron is hot.

 

[Brand New]

Suppose its easy for me to say,as I recently received my certificate but it did take myself and partner 6 months. It was 5 months before we got the FEO visit and until then I had put the application to the back of my mind and concentrated all thoughts on training and working my dogs. However once the FEO had been and told us that all should be fine and we would receive our certs in a few weeks,I was getting a little more twitchy. I think that once you know your going to get something,the waiting gets harder. I am a patient man but must admit that 4 weeks after the visit I was watching the postmans every move when he appeared in the village. It took another week and it arrived last Saturday. It would have been nice if it came sooner but to be honest I wouldnt have done much shooting till now anyway. Most of the game days I have invites to are in January and after the game season my weekends will be free to concentrate on clays until next winter.

   Hope you guys get yours soon and try not to dwell on it too much. As kids we all couldnt wait for Christmas,especially when we  knew what we were getting. Look now,Christmas is here every year all to quickly. You guys will probably be shooting sooner than me and probably more often.

  My Mrs has her cert and due to a bad shoulder injury last March she cant even mount a gun yet and will be several weeks if not months before she can buy a gun and go shooting again.

  Yours could be any day Lord v.

 

[steve75]

it does say on the website to take the cashing of a cheque as receipt of the form but i haven't had a chequebook for many years now so opted for a postal order. i did send recorded delivery so it has got through the front door at least. 

when i contacted the fao he gave me a contact number for west mercia and to be fair to him it was a fast response but when you call it's just a recorded message. 

being a newcomer to the sport and getting into it by myself i must say that everyone from shops to shooting grounds have been very friendly and welcoming just a shame to be held up so much from progressing 

 

[ChrisPackham]

Unless there is a good reason to prevent somebody going about their rights surely this is tantamount to obsturuction.  Anybody written to their MP?

I have written to my PCC who promised that he would improve matters and they have got worse, due to a lack of response I wrote to my MP and received no response.  The PCC had been informed that waiting times had improved by 50% by Essex deputy police chief when infact they have worsened and the PCC is now using my  evidence to challenge DPC... I look forward to the response.. I have Ccd MP in too!

 

[Lord v]

Despite all the paperwork and checks done, Drs letter received etc and having had the visit nearly 2 months ago;  I was told yesterday not to expect anything before March!

Basically its going to take them 4 months to print the cert and send it.

I am a bit grumpy about this.

 

[525kev]

Despite all the paperwork and checks done, Drs letter received etc and having had the visit nearly 2 months ago;  I was told yesterday not to expect anything before March!

Basically its going to take them 4 months to print the cert and send it.

I am a bit grumpy about this.

Yep much the same here

Checks done, FEO visit done and when i asked how long he reckoned to get cert posted to me he replied "Allow 16 weeks"

Muchly Grumpy here

Just to add insult my mate got me a slab of Comp x 21g and said these are what you might need if you ever get granted p*** taking b*******.......

 

[ChrisPackham]

Out of interest how long did you guys wait for a visit? 40 weeks and counting so far....

 

[Lord v]

In fairness only had to wait 2 weeks for the visit. You still 'win' PP...

When the FEO came he did say I would probably have it mid January. Seems that has slipped somewhat.

Edited:

It does seem that '16 weeks' is the party line for A&S - I cant say anything to get them to deviate from that. The nice lady did say they try to do better than 16 weeks but that is what it is currently taking.

 

[Lord v]

I wouldn't have actually minded a longer wait for the visit if it meant I got the cert sooner after it. Everything is done and my application is just sitting in a massive pile waiting for final approved (if it hasn't already), printed and posted. A 4 month wait for that just seem ridiculous.

Surely you just need a civilian office bod to do the last bit - hell, if you were going to sub out any part of the process the printing and posting would be the easiest bit.

@525blackgold - when are you due to get yours through?

 

[525kev]

Out of interest how long did you guys wait for a visit? 40 weeks and counting so far....

I got the visit in 11 days now wait, wait, wait for the gezza to sign it and a nice lady to post it.

16 weeks from visit takes me to 17 March 2017

 

[MJJ]

51 weeks and counting for renewal. Bloody abysmal

 

[ChrisPackham]

51 weeks and counting for renewal. Bloody abysmal

Wow! That's terrible..