BASC’s 2020 firearms licensing league table

[Conor O'Gorman]

BASC’s 2020 firearms licensing league table has exposed a cavernous gap between high-performing police forces and those at the other end of the spectrum.

Our fourth annual review of firearms licensing details a shocking lack of consistency in application processing times across the UK.

Without question, Covid 19 has presented significant challenges for police forces across the country. Even taking this into account however, the situation is, in essence, a postcode lottery.

How did my local police force perform?​

The league table includes firearm (FAC) and shotgun (SGC) certificate grants and renewals from individual forces across England and Wales. It also features figures for coterminous grants and renewals.

Nationally, the best performing forces, based on average application processing times were, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire and Thames Valley. Notably, certification across the first three of these forces is undertaken by a single, amalgamated licensing department.

The most impressive single turnaround time stat came from this group, belonging to Cambridgeshire police. The force charted an average of 16 days each for coterminous grants and renewals respectively.

At the other end of the performance spectrum were South Wales, Durham, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Avon & Somerset police forces.

The worst result of all sits with Durham, who recorded an average processing time of 226 days for a firearm certificate renewal application.

Improvements and deteriorations

Thames Valley, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Warwickshire showed the greatest improvement in turnaround times in 2020 compared with 2019. The forces with the greatest deterioration in turnaround times were Durham, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Cumbria and Metropolitan.

What can be done to improve performance​

The variation in performance levels demonstrates a need for firearms licensing to be dealt with on a national basis.

BASC has sought the support of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidates to drive the improvement of badly performing firearms licensing departments.

We will also be pushing for the effective use of technology to boost the efficiency of processes post lockdown. This includes online applications and interviews completed via video call.

Click the link below to view BASC's 2020 firearms licensing league table:

Firearms licensing league table

Force Staff Budget FA certs SG certs Certs processed 21/22 Turn- around time (renewal) Turn- around time (grant) Average turn- around time Cost per cert Cert per staff Staff costs A&S 18 464,400 6,400 21,173 5,323 (19.3%) 60 Days 144 Days 102 Days £87.24 295.7 £25,800 Bedfordshire 1,550 6,008...

basc.org.uk

 

[Frank Homes]

BASC’s 2020 firearms licensing league table has exposed a cavernous gap between high-performing police forces and those at the other end of the spectrum.

Our fourth annual review of firearms licensing details a shocking lack of consistency in application processing times across the UK.

Without question, Covid 19 has presented significant challenges for police forces across the country. Even taking this into account however, the situation is, in essence, a postcode lottery.

How did my local police force perform?​

The league table includes firearm (FAC) and shotgun (SGC) certificate grants and renewals from individual forces across England and Wales. It also features figures for coterminous grants and renewals.

Nationally, the best performing forces, based on average application processing times were, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire and Thames Valley. Notably, certification across the first three of these forces is undertaken by a single, amalgamated licensing department.

The most impressive single turnaround time stat came from this group, belonging to Cambridgeshire police. The force charted an average of 16 days each for coterminous grants and renewals respectively.

At the other end of the performance spectrum were South Wales, Durham, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Avon & Somerset police forces.

The worst result of all sits with Durham, who recorded an average processing time of 226 days for a firearm certificate renewal application.

Improvements and deteriorations

Thames Valley, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Warwickshire showed the greatest improvement in turnaround times in 2020 compared with 2019. The forces with the greatest deterioration in turnaround times were Durham, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Cumbria and Metropolitan.

What can be done to improve performance​

The variation in performance levels demonstrates a need for firearms licensing to be dealt with on a national basis.

BASC has sought the support of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidates to drive the improvement of badly performing firearms licensing departments.

We will also be pushing for the effective use of technology to boost the efficiency of processes post lockdown. This includes online applications and interviews completed via video call.

Click the link below to view BASC's 2020 firearms licensing league table:

Firearms licensing league table

Force Staff Budget FA certs SG certs Certs processed 21/22 Turn- around time (renewal) Turn- around time (grant) Average turn- around time Cost per cert Cert per staff Staff costs A&S 18 464,400 6,400 21,173 5,323 (19.3%) 60 Days 144 Days 102 Days £87.24 295.7 £25,800 Bedfordshire 1,550 6,008...

basc.org.uk

Interesting but where is the evidence that dealing with it nationally is going to make any difference?

 

[Mr. Gain]

Interesting but where is the evidence that dealing with it nationally is going to make any difference?

Indeed, ISTM that what we really need are nationwide service standards that include maximum time periods for variations, renewals and issues; as well as a "credit card" certificate with photo ID and chip that handles notifications and 141s at point-of-sale in gun shops.

 

[Husky]

What about Scotland ? After all your the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Scotland is part of Britain.

 

[RM100]

I can’t see any advantage to going national (I’m in Cambs)

 

[Frank Homes]

What about Scotland ? After all your the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Scotland is part of Britain.

Scotland decided not to join NFLMS, the implementation of which was recommended after Dunblane.

 

[CarlW]

Interesting but where is the evidence that dealing with it nationally is going to make any difference?

It will make a world of difference. Capita, G4S, and Serco will be able to fook it up much more efficiently at a national level.

 

[Sealgair nam fiadh]

Scotland decided not to join NFLMS, the implementation of which was recommended after Dunblane.

So the BASC cannot ask Police Scotland for the same information ?

 

[slider]

The second paragraph is wrong. This is not a picture of Firearms licencing across the UK.

 

[Frank Homes]

So the BASC cannot ask Police Scotland for the same information ?

Not sure how sophisticated their systems are.Some of them are still using a system that many forces used prior to Nflms.

 

[NigelM]

National would be a disaster. FLO's should be locally based, in tune with the area they are dealing with (inner city vs rural) as well as meeting the certificate holders face to face. National would end up as a box ticking exercise. Might be faster for some (doubt it) but quality of decision making would take a major step backwards.

 

[Xtrema]

I know not why Surrey and Sussex are showing separately when they were combined a couple of years ago.
For a variation, Surrey show 4 Days and Sussex show 3 days, yet they took six weeks to turn around a very simple variation for me last year.

 

[deerstalker.308]

I know not why Surrey and Sussex are showing separately when they were combined a couple of years ago.
For a variation, Surrey show 4 Days and Sussex show 3 days, yet they took six weeks to turn around a very simple variation for me last year.

Likewise norfolk and Suffolk, they should reflect the same stats, so questions the whole validity/point of this exercise!

 

[timbrayford]

The figures flatter Hampshire Police for 2020. It took them 6 months to process my renewal and even then it took an intervention from BASC to get them to follow both HO guidance and the Firearms Act. Just speaking from experience!

 

[25 Sharps]

BASC’s 2020 firearms licensing league table has exposed a cavernous gap between high-performing police forces and those at the other end of the spectrum.

Our fourth annual review of firearms licensing details a shocking lack of consistency in application processing times across the UK.

Without question, Covid 19 has presented significant challenges for police forces across the country. Even taking this into account however, the situation is, in essence, a postcode lottery.

How did my local police force perform?​

The league table includes firearm (FAC) and shotgun (SGC) certificate grants and renewals from individual forces across England and Wales. It also features figures for coterminous grants and renewals.

Nationally, the best performing forces, based on average application processing times were, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Warwickshire and Thames Valley. Notably, certification across the first three of these forces is undertaken by a single, amalgamated licensing department.

The most impressive single turnaround time stat came from this group, belonging to Cambridgeshire police. The force charted an average of 16 days each for coterminous grants and renewals respectively.

At the other end of the performance spectrum were South Wales, Durham, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and Avon & Somerset police forces.

The worst result of all sits with Durham, who recorded an average processing time of 226 days for a firearm certificate renewal application.

Improvements and deteriorations

Thames Valley, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Warwickshire showed the greatest improvement in turnaround times in 2020 compared with 2019. The forces with the greatest deterioration in turnaround times were Durham, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Cumbria and Metropolitan.

What can be done to improve performance​

The variation in performance levels demonstrates a need for firearms licensing to be dealt with on a national basis.

BASC has sought the support of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) candidates to drive the improvement of badly performing firearms licensing departments.

We will also be pushing for the effective use of technology to boost the efficiency of processes post lockdown. This includes online applications and interviews completed via video call.

Click the link below to view BASC's 2020 firearms licensing league table:

Firearms licensing league table

Force Staff Budget FA certs SG certs Certs processed 21/22 Turn- around time (renewal) Turn- around time (grant) Average turn- around time Cost per cert Cert per staff Staff costs A&S 18 464,400 6,400 21,173 5,323 (19.3%) 60 Days 144 Days 102 Days £87.24 295.7 £25,800 Bedfordshire 1,550 6,008...

basc.org.uk

why would you want to switch to a national system, this would undoubtedly lead to someone like G4s taking it on which would be of detriment to most of us!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE @Conor O'Gorman don’t let the BASC Make this another issue that they make the decision for their membership on without any consultation as they did with lead!!!

Incidentally did you see my PM.?

 

[25 Sharps]

National would be a disaster. FLO's should be locally based, in tune with the area they are dealing with (inner city vs rural) as well as meeting the certificate holders face to face. National would end up as a box ticking exercise. Might be faster for some (doubt it) but quality of decision making would take a major step backwards.

100% agree

 

[timbrayford]

National would be a disaster. FLO's should be locally based, in tune with the area they are dealing with (inner city vs rural) as well as meeting the certificate holders face to face. National would end up as a box ticking exercise. Might be faster for some (doubt it) but quality of decision making would take a major step backwards.

I don't agree - Hants police have a bad attitude towards lawful gun ownership, pity that they aren't so diligent about dealing with burglars, again from first hand experience!

 

[Pedro]

The main problem is staffing. Over recent years police funding has been eroded. So police forces have to make savings somewhere. Except by BASC, the timeliness of firearms licencing isn't measured, so that's a prime candidate for money saving on their biggest ongoing cost, salaries. Many force areas have not replaced firearms licencing staff, instead spreading the load between fewer individuals. Which might work when everyone is there. But holidays, sickness and retirements put spanners in the works. Another money saving ploy is to amalgamate licencing with neighbouring forces. Bonus!

But of course the outcome of this is to provide a poorer service to two groups of people. Firstly, the certificate (or potential certificate) holders who have to wait forever. Secondly, with renewals especially, the protection of the public.

But hey, the great majority of certificate holders aren't going to complain very much, are they?

 

[NigelM]

I don't agree - Hants police have a bad attitude towards lawful gun ownership, pity that they aren't so diligent about dealing with burglars, again from first hand experience!

Be careful what you wish for Tim.

 

[enfieldspares]

What a pointless exercise. Navel gazing at best...willie waving at worst. It isn't turnaround time that matters surely but the attitude and outlook of the Police Force or Constabulary. My issuing police force is Leicestershire. I have never found them anything but reasonable and accommodating.