Hertfordshire waiting times, sigh

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harrygiani

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So Herts has decided that they are going to improve their turnaround times. Now they could use plain common sense, or they could pick an arbitrary cut-off date (Nov 2025) and prioritise applications received after that date.

The new applications get prioritised and decided, and just like that Herts has plausible turnaround times.

The old applications can languish in limbo, but who cares. I have only been waiting since September 2024 for my co-terminus FAC / SGC. I have only sent them a half a dozen (unanswered) polite reminders. I have only written to the Police Commissioner - who despite all protestations - is too busy to respond to emails. I have only proactively at the end of 18 months of waiting obtained and sent in a fresh medical cert from my GP.

So my questions:
- Has anyone who applied to Herts from 2024 - 2025 received any update, had their referrees contacted, or had an interview etc?
- Does it make sense to spend several hundred pounds on getting a fresh medical cert, and re-applying?
 
I can't answer either of those questions only to say, mine took nearly twelve months from application to renewal, and was submitted six months early. It's an utter mess. Which has more to do with coming under the umbrella of the other two counties, as it used to run very smoothly indeed.
 
A chap at work applied for initial grant of SGC Not herts but Cambs, which is all under one umbrella apparently, sort of.
Applied around July 24, has received one standard email confirming receipt. Nothing else. Emails to licencing department ignored, PCC ignoring emails.
Utter disgrace.
 
harrygiani said:
So Herts has decided that they are going to improve their turnaround times. Now they could use plain common sense, or they could pick an arbitrary cut-off date (Nov 2025) and prioritise applications received after that date.

The new applications get prioritised and decided, and just like that Herts has plausible turnaround times.

The old applications can languish in limbo, but who cares. I have only been waiting since September 2024 for my co-terminus FAC / SGC. I have only sent them a half a dozen (unanswered) polite reminders. I have only written to the Police Commissioner - who despite all protestations - is too busy to respond to emails. I have only proactively at the end of 18 months of waiting obtained and sent in a fresh medical cert from my GP.

So my questions:
- Has anyone who applied to Herts from 2024 - 2025 received any update, had their referrees contacted, or had an interview etc?
- Does it make sense to spend several hundred pounds on getting a fresh medical cert, and re-applying?
Click to expand...

To your first question, I have a friend in Beds who applied in 2023 who is still waiting and has zero progress on his application, and a friend in Herts who applied in 2024 in the same boat.

As to the second question, only you can decide that!
 
@harrygiani

This is not what's happening.

We had a meeting with the BCH glossy month and this was put to them.

BCH needed to find the timeline for their new processes. Part of the team took some fresh applications and went through the whole thing to determine the time scale for renewals, grants and variations. The bulk of the team continued with thebacklog. They did this in November.

AS soon as they got the info they needed they moved back to the backlog. Their staffing numbers have increased from around 40 to nearly 100. This is only a temporary measure and took some time to train up the new staff. It can only help

BCH are now working through the backlog, and triage-ing the easy from complex cases. When we spoke they we're finishing off 2023's few remaining cases.

I know it appeared they were trying to fix the figures but that was for a small selection of applications and staffing, the vast majority were still on the main job.
 
M@tt said:
BCH are now working through the backlog, and triage-ing the easy from complex cases. When we spoke they we're finishing off 2023's few remaining cases.
Click to expand...

This pretty much confirms the results I'm seeing. BCH are concentrating on clearing the bulk of their entire backlog by fast-tracking the easiest cases. Renewals are the priority, Variations and first Grants have to wait. It's doubtful that applicants from any of the three counties are getting special treatment, as I've talked to shooters renewing in each.

Mine in Cambs (no changes whatsoever) only took 6 months from applying in December 2024 to a new FAC dated June 2025. It was on a Section 7 Form 111 basis for only 4 weeks. Renewal applications made earlier in the year were taking 12-15 months.

A friend's FAC (Cambs - HOAC target-shooting use only) applied for in December 2025 was renewed in February 2026, several weeks before expiry. No visit, interviewed by Zoom video conference call, with his FAC issued 1 week later. :)
 
harrygiani said:
Thanks @M@tt that is very helpful.

My only source of information has been the youtube recordings of the monthly meeting between the PCC and the CC (Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner)
Click to expand...
I must admit, it was badly circulated. Only a small team took a few applications to run them through, but the impression was it was a cynical ploy to artificially improve performance. It was brought up at the meeting and they explained it better.

What has made matters a bit worse, we are on the 5-year hump. The average renewal (only) for '21-'25 is somewhere between 3000 to 4000, this year BCH expect over 8000 renewals. The plan to help reduce certification issue last century when FACs went from 3 to 5 years created a big improvement at the time, but every 5 years we reap the benefits.
Perhaps move it to a 10yr lifespan with ongoing medical scrutiny (courtesy of the marker :rolleyes: ) and the hump will be moved on again.

A good thing that was accepted by the FLD when it was mentioned, if you need to rely on a s7, your FAC has expired. Therefore, the new one when granted (renewed) will start from the date it is signed off/printed, not the old expiry date.
 
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