Decision

To approve a 5% increase to ceremony fees both statutory and non-statutory, effective from 1 April 2026.

Reasons for the decision

The decision to approve a 5% increase to ceremony fees was based on the following reasons:-

·         The service has experienced a reduction in income due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the number of ceremonies performed and booked.

·         The service has faced rising costs of staff, equipment, venues, and administration, which have not been matched by the current fee levels.

·         The service aims to provide a high-quality and customer-focused service that meets the expectations and needs of the public.

·         The service has benchmarked its fees against other local authorities and found that they are broadly comparable with districts within our region.

·         This will increase revenue into the service by approximately £10,000 based on current ceremony levels.

Alternative options considered

The service considered the following alternatives and rejected them:-

·         Keeping the fees at the level set for 2024/25: This would result in a loss of income and a deterioration of the service quality and sustainability.

·         Increasing the fees by more than 5%: This would risk making the service unaffordable and uncompetitive for the public and the venues.