Burnham-On-Sea town councillors have this week raised concerns about the long-term future of the town’s Registry Office following a three-month ‘temporary closure’.
The office, based at Burnham and Highbridge Town Council’s chambers in Jaycroft Road (pictured), has been shut for over three months due to the absence of a key staff member through illness.
This, in turn, means Burnham residents wanting to officially register births, deaths, adoptions and marriages have to make an appointment to visit the nearest registry office in Bridgwater.
While Somerset County Council says this is just a “temporary closure,” town councillors are concerned about the longer term future of the service.
“This is a very unsatisfactory situation,” said Cllr Neville Jones this week. “I know one funeral service in town has already expressed its disquiet about the current extended closure.”
“How long must we wait for it to be re-opened, or is this part of a plan to transfer the service to Bridgwater? With a town of over 20,000 people, it’s important that we have a registry office here in Burnham.”
He added: “Back in 1981 we had to battle to save our registry office when it was in the Manor House. The county council said at that time that it wanted to close the office and we had to take our fight to the minister, who eventually ruled the service should not close.”
Burnham-On-Sea.com contacted Somerset County Council about the future of the office and spokesman Alex Bacon told us: “There is no intention to close the registry office long term. Somerset County Council hopes to open it in the next few weeks.”
