Gloucestershire Police Freeze FAC/SGC applications
- Thread starter 63
- Start date
BASC are on the ball.
Copy of notice sent to members:
Within the last few days, Gloucestershire Police have taken the unilateral decision to suspend grant applications for firearm and shotgun certificates on the grounds of “unexpected resourcing issues”. They have also said that applications already in the pipeline will take up to two years to decide. This is not only an outrageous decision but an unlawful one, too; the police have a legal duty to process applications and cannot pick and choose as they like.
See the announcement on the Gloucestershire Police website here
This lack of customer service could have serious consequences for all shooting sports; it prevents newcomers coming into shooting, as they can’t get a certificate. It also affects the shooting retail supply chain. Many rural businesses are struggling to stay afloat as it is; they don’t need the extra pressure.
BASC has already acted by briefing all Gloucestershire MPs and asking them to raise the matter with the new Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, a vice-president of BASC, is meeting the Chief Constable today to raise the issue. We have also protested to the PCC. We have informed the Home Office that a statutory function is not being discharged and have asked that the Policing Minister is informed. The matter will also be raised at a Gloucestershire stakeholders' meeting.
As a BASC member in Gloucestershire you can help us by writing to your MP and the PCC. The more people who tell them that they are unhappy with this, the more likely they are to bring pressure on the Chief Officer to reverse the decision.
To find the name of your MP click here and enter your postcode. This will bring up contact details for your MP.
The PCC for Gloucestershire is Chris Nelson. He can be emailed at police.crimecommissioner@gloucestershire.police.uk
Thank you for your help and support.
Copy of notice sent to members:
Within the last few days, Gloucestershire Police have taken the unilateral decision to suspend grant applications for firearm and shotgun certificates on the grounds of “unexpected resourcing issues”. They have also said that applications already in the pipeline will take up to two years to decide. This is not only an outrageous decision but an unlawful one, too; the police have a legal duty to process applications and cannot pick and choose as they like.
See the announcement on the Gloucestershire Police website here
This lack of customer service could have serious consequences for all shooting sports; it prevents newcomers coming into shooting, as they can’t get a certificate. It also affects the shooting retail supply chain. Many rural businesses are struggling to stay afloat as it is; they don’t need the extra pressure.
BASC has already acted by briefing all Gloucestershire MPs and asking them to raise the matter with the new Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC). Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, a vice-president of BASC, is meeting the Chief Constable today to raise the issue. We have also protested to the PCC. We have informed the Home Office that a statutory function is not being discharged and have asked that the Policing Minister is informed. The matter will also be raised at a Gloucestershire stakeholders' meeting.
As a BASC member in Gloucestershire you can help us by writing to your MP and the PCC. The more people who tell them that they are unhappy with this, the more likely they are to bring pressure on the Chief Officer to reverse the decision.
To find the name of your MP click here and enter your postcode. This will bring up contact details for your MP.
The PCC for Gloucestershire is Chris Nelson. He can be emailed at police.crimecommissioner@gloucestershire.police.uk
Thank you for your help and support.
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Thanks we have been raising concerns and awareness with PCC and MPs since it was announced and have today emailed all members in Gloucestershire with a call to action.
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
That's exactly it. Any other service that was struggling but had wide public support wouldn't be stopped like this.
63
Well-Known Member
If I was feeling really mischievous I'd find someone in Deloitte Public Sector and get them to start trying to sell management consultancy to Gloucestershire Police.
That'll teach them
Don’t think this is the first force to do this or similar and possibly may not be the last, so if illegal why just raise concerns and make representations to the PCC and MPs? why not just go for it and issue a Judicial review pre-action letter to the Chief Constable.
Let’s stop being the soft option.
Swedish
Well-Known Member
Allow me....She has stated that her primary mission is to deal with 'misogyny'.
Not entirely sure what that looks like.
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
More context in the following update:
basc.org.uk
Gloucestershire Constabulary suspends certificate grants
BASC has accused Gloucestershire Constabulary of failing to fulfil a statutory duty by suspending firearm certificate grants.
basc.org.uk
More context in the following update:
Gloucestershire Constabulary suspends certificate grants
BASC has accused Gloucestershire Constabulary of failing to fulfil a statutory duty by suspending firearm certificate grants.
Conor you know few will actually write to the PCC or MP, you are the voice of shooting why pussy foot around? when the Judicial review process is in place for exactly this type of situation.
Deerkeeper2
Well-Known Member
By contrast, Norfolk Police just did a one-for-one variation for me in less than five days including postage both ways. Posted the old certificate at lunchtime on Monday, new certificate arrived through my door at 0930 today.
Conor O'Gorman
Well-Known Member
Let's see what comes of the current approach. The use of judicial reviews has its place and was last used by BASC here:
BASC settles GL43 legal challenge with government
BASC has settled a claim for a judicial review over Defra’s decision to alter GL43, which allowed gamebird release in certain areas of England.
basc.org.uk
Is BASC and other shooting organisations spelling out to Glos that if the matter is not resolved as a matter of urgency then they will promptly instigate judicial review?
I do feel it's about time the organisations who represent us started to bare their teeth and it's clear Glos need to be taken to task as a matter of urgency.
If they cannot perform their duty then it should be removed from them and asigned to a force or organisation that can.
D
I do feel it's about time the organisations who represent us started to bare their teeth and it's clear Glos need to be taken to task as a matter of urgency.
If they cannot perform their duty then it should be removed from them and asigned to a force or organisation that can.
D
nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
As with a lot of measures such as judicial review it helps and is often necessary to show that prior steps have been taken and proved ineffective.
Do not think that applies to a JR as you only to look at Wild Justice to see how they use them.
Judicial review is a legal process that allows the public to challenge the lawfulness of a decision made by a public authority. It's a way to question how a decision was made, rather than whether the decision itself was right or wrong.
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