Call for return of registration services to EK
East Kilbride’s MSP, Collette Stevenson, is calling on South Lanarkshire Council to reinstate registration services in the town.
Currently people from across the local authority area have to travel to Council HQ in Hamilton to register the likes of births and deaths in-person.
Pre-pandemic, the operating hours and services available at EK Civic Centre were cut – causing anger among community groups and residents.
But since the pandemic, registration offices in East Kilbride, Lanark and Rutherglen have all remained closed.
And following representations from constituents, Ms Stevenson has this week written to SLC to highlight the lack of registration services in East Kilbride and asked what the local authority’s plans are for the future of services.
Ms Stevenson told the News: “I understand that prior to the pandemic, the local registration office in East Kilbride was restricted in terms of days it would operate and the number of services available to users.
“I completely understand that the pandemic has made an impact on services, resulting in a change of operations.
“I know too that people are no longer restricted to a particular registration and are free to travel anywhere in Scotland to register a birth or a death, but I am keen to understand what the future plans are for the registration services in East Kilbride.
“Can we expect services to return? If so, when? If not, why not?
“East Kilbride is the largest town in South Lanarkshire and a town our size justifies local service provision.
“That is why I have asked SLC if at least a compromise could be made whereby appointments could be distributed throughout the various registration offices in the local authority area so people aren’t having to travel so far.”
Council chief executive, Cleland Sneddon, said: “The pandemic changed so much in all our lives and it brought about changes in registration services too.
“A number of adjustments had to be made, including remote working by registration staff during lockdown, and prioritising death registration across the period.
“Remote and online registration has allowed members of the public to contact registration staff in a much more convenient way and the feedback from service users has been very positive. We would, however, encourage any service user for whom these arrangements are not suitable to make contact with the service.”
Can we expect services to return?Ifso,when? If not, why not?