Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Cambridgeshire Constabulary Firearms (now merged with Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire) have just turned around my application for a variation on my FAC (to add a new rifle) in a mere 6 working days! Initially I thought I was in for a prolonged saga – on their website you are invited to complete your variation application using a downloadable, addressable form. That’s very useful, at the head of the form it stated: ‘NOTE: THE CERTIFICATE TO BE VARIED, OR A COPY OF IT, MUST BE ENCLOSED WITH THIS FORM’ “Great!” I thought……”I no longer need to send off my current certificate. They will accept a copy!” Wrong! Eight days after sending off my application, I had the whole lot returned to me (including my cheque for £20!) along with an apologetic letter explaining that they were unable to process my application on the grounds that I had not sent in my original certificate. Despite their own advice that a ‘copy’ was acceptable! Anyway, I of course replied by return, enclosing my certificate and making the observation that, through no fault of my own, I had now lost several days of ‘processing’ time and requesting that they might expedite my application in recognition of this. Fair play to them – I was amazed and happy to see how quickly they can respond when they want to! Credit where credit is due – just bought myself an early Xmas present! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Well at least there is some good news within your post. I too come under Cambs, my SGC renewal is due in March of 2017, think I will send it in early in January! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Yeah! Probably wise my friend! The variation I submitted prior to this latest one took the best part of 3 months! In mitigation, that was just when the three counties had merged and I believe they are a bit more organised now, than they were during the initial confusion of the merger. I had a bizarre conversation with the FEO that eventually contacted me on that occasion but that would be unfair to repeat here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Unfortunately my FEO has retired so I will have to build a rapour with the new one. Hope he likes chocolate biscuits with his coffee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Funny enough I had the same thing with my ticket from Avon and Som and had to send over my original after first sending a copy. They, unfortunately were not so quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 I anticipated a long wait after the initial cock-up, so wrote a covering letter to express my concern! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Unfortunately my FEO has retired so I will have to build a rapour with the new one. Hope he likes chocolate biscuits with his coffee! Yeah, I think gone are the days when we knew who our FEO was - my experience so far is that you get dealt with by whoever is available at the time. I don't believe that this is the best system, it removes the personal contact and knowledge that the old 1:1 system had. These days, one's FEO only knows you by what they see on the screen - I'm sure it's cheaper to run that way but surely it cannot be safer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 I had my renewal in October, I was abit tight sending it in before it ran out. One phone call variations done over the phone job done. Very quick turnaround from cambs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Good to hear that Johnny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cambsman Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Cambs are great. Really helpful and very quick. Did both of mine at same time, very efficient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Is this one of the forces that outsources Firearms to a contractor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okrang Posted December 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 No, not as far as I understand. I think they just merged with neigbouring counties in an attempt to cut costs. Initially there was quite a bit of delay and confusion but that may have, by all accounts, settled . I still think it will be a shame if, in the process, we lose the personal contact of having a 'named' FEO rather than 'whoever happens to be in the office' but, that's maybe the way it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 I was sure some forces were planning on sub contracting G4S to do the paperwork and possibly the FEO work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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