BASC: PCCs lead to firearms payment confusion
Shotgun and firearm certificate holders and applicants are being urged to check payment details for their local police firearms licensing department because the introduction of Police and Crime Commissioners has led to changes across the country.
The UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), has contacted every police force in England and Wales and found that many now require payments to different accounts since the abolition of police authorities and the introduction of commissioners. BASC has compiled a comprehensive list of payees for each force and published it on its website: http://www.basc.org.uk/en/departments/firearms/department-news.cfm
BASC firearms officer Matt Perring said: "It is important that certificate holders and applicants double-check to whom they should be paying fees for the grant, renewal and variation of certificates for shotguns and firearms. Many forces have made changes and now require payment to be made to PCCs. Others will accept payments made directly to the force. We are concerned that the confusion this might create could lead to unnecessary delays in processing applications."
Applicants can check directly with their force or consult the list compiled by the BASC firearms team which can be downloaded from the BASC website – www.basc.org.uk
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