GRO Delays

[Peter Goodey]

Perhaps you've all seen this but if you haven't...

http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/news/fr_34.htm

See the section on GRO Service Targets.

For those who can't bear to wait for certificates, there's a moral in those figures.

[Ladkyis]

Am I reading it correctly when I say that in 2005/6 online had 1,240,381 applications and managed to send out 79% but between January and March 2006 they had 429,151 and only managed to send out 35%.

It's a good job I don't understand the law of averages cos that looks as though the more applications they have the better they work and that can't be right can it.

Ann

[Peter Goodey]

429,151 a quarter is equivalent to 1,716,604 a year whereas in the previous full year they actually received 1,240,381. A fair old increase ;)

[peter nicholl]

Am I reading it correctly when I say that in 2005/6 online had 1,240,381 applications and managed to send out 79% but between January and March 2006 they had 429,151 and only managed to send out 35%.

It's a good job I don't understand the law of averages cos that looks as though the more applications they have the better they work and that can't be right can it.

AnnAnn, If you look at the number of online applications per month, then for the whole 12 months of 2005/2006 they had 1,240,381 divided by 12 = 103,365 per month and they managed to send out 79% of those within the target time of so many days, or 81,658 of the 103,365 on time, the others were late, but still sent.
For the first 3 months of this year they had 429,151, or 143,050 per month, or 40% more each month than last year. They managed to send out 35% on time, or 50,067 of the 143,050, the others were late but still sent.

If they have the same number of staff doing the job, they had to process 40% more jobs and ended up getting 40% less out on time. It's like a traffic jam at a road works where 2 lanes have to carry the traffic of three, it's bound to slow down.

[Ladkyis]

Now I know why I took up sewing as a career and not mathematics. Ask me to grade a pattern to a different size and I'm your ideal person but ask me to work out stuff like all that and my brain just puts up a window that says

"this program is not responding... please try later"

I suppose the problem there now will be to wonder if they should increase staff to cope. If they do that will they have to get rid of people if the demand eases and if it doesn't ease and they haven't increased staff will they get blasted by a nervous government or will they just impose stricter controls on what we can get.

[ET in the USA]

I blame it on the BBC. I'm just sore because I always miss the program, but hit the surge of orders it generates. It is like the gym (fitness or leisure centre to most of you) the day after New Years. All the resolution Charlies really clog up the works !

Maybe if this forum weren't so darn nice and helpful, the newbies would get frustrated and give up searching.

:) Just Kidding :)

Without demand, there would be no supply and all those lovely online things that allows me to play from home and not wait for the 1 month/year when I am in the UK wouldn't exist.

Just do me a favor and write to the BBC asking them to show 'Who do you think you are III' in August so the rush will be over by the time I get there in February-March.

[Ladkyis]

The UKTV History Channel is doing a week of family and local history progammes under a banner headline of - I think - Your Family Name or Your Family History. Anyway, they are showing all the Who do you Think You Are series 1 programmes and also there is a peculiar programme called "My Famous Ancestor" with Bill Oddie as the presenter and Guy de la Bedoyere as the historian. They has this young music student that they took all over the place showing her various things without ever telling her who the famous ancestor was until right at the end when they "Reveal ALL"|jumphappy then they tell her what you have known all the way through - who the famous ancestor is. As I said it is rather peculiar but I am sure that there will be a few people searching for the famous ancestor as a result. So I am watching the delivery dates.

Oh and the famous ancestor was what I call a very distant relative - on a different branch and related by marriage - rather a stretch I thought.

Ann

[Lindad]

1,240,381 x £7? That's over £8.5m. What are they doing with all that money?! They must be making some huge profit!

[Peter Goodey]

"They must be making some huge profit"

I think you'll find that ONS don't make a profit.

[Lindad]

In that case, they must be working very inefficiently!

[Ladkyis]

It's a government department so the money is probably going into the pension funds - this is meant as a joke before anyone sues me.

It is, of course, going into the treasury and is being used responsibly - whispered aside (did that sound convincing?)

Ann

[Colin Moretti]

It's a government department so the money is probably going into the pension funds - ... Quite right too! - I speak as a retired civil servant. We were paid little enough when we were at work (and yes, we did work) :D (Don't get me going on civil service pay |rant| )

Colin

[Ladkyis]

I was thinking more MP and not civil servant

[Simon in Bucks]

On the subject of delays for certificates...........well, they are getting quicker !!

Just ordered a Birth Certificate 21/06/06, and it's due to me on 03/07/06 : less than 2 weeks. Was nearly 4 weeks a couple of months ago.

Bound to take longer when 'Who Do You Think You Are' series 3 starts on BBC2 !!

[Ladkyis]

I had to ring them today and the message at the start of the call says that the delays have been due to unprecedented volume of orders. This is now under control and the delivery times are quicker.

I know it is frustrating to have to wait and we have become used to instant gratification of our every whim but four weeks is not that long. I mean, I bought a settee a few years ago and the company seemed quite proud of the fact that they could deliver within three months!

Ann