FAC Application Form 201

[Pete]

Took my renewal application in last Thursday, and got a letter this morning asking for a copy of my "shooting record" from my main club.
I checked the Form 201 notes, and it's not mentioned there, just the club contact details.

Anyone come across this before?

Pete

[Andy632]

They normally ask your club for this if your FAC is for target shooting; hopefully you have been maintaining a record of club shooting(?) . It's the club's duty to maintain a record but most clubs (like mine) expect you to help filling in the attendance register.

[TattooedGun]

I had to supply one when I went for an increase in ammo, since I only showed 2000 rounds bought in 3 years at time of variation and I was asking for an increase of 5000. On the grounds that I bought ammo each time I went to the club and shot it there so I didn't need to add it to the ticket, they wanted to see some proof.

I had to get the secretary of the club to put the info together and I sent it to the police.

A right rigmarole :(

[Andy632]

I had to supply one when I went for an increase in ammo, since I only showed 2000 rounds bought in 3 years at time of variation and I was asking for an increase of 5000. On the grounds that I bought ammo each time I went to the club and shot it there so I didn't need to add it to the ticket, they wanted to see some proof.

I had to get the secretary of the club to put the info together and I sent it to the police.

A right rigmarole :(

Yes, as Club Secretary I have been asked to do this on occasion.
Pain in the ass; that's why we need the members to fill in their attendance register!

[Pete]

I log in to the NRA (my main club) useage database each time I'm there, so hopefully, a copy of that should suffice.
I also keep my own record including date, marker, range, rounds fired, rifles used, who with, weather etc. on an open Office spreadsheet.

It's just that I've never been asked before, and the need to send it isn't mentioned anywhere on their notes.

Pete

[Blackstuff]

It isn't a standard request which is why its not on the standard form. As above if you've asked for an increase in ammo allowance could trigger it if its not obvious from the ammo section on your FAC why you need the increase.

Its just as likely they're trying it on/trialing some other pointless and onerous b0ll0cks that some genius in the FELWG has dreamed up . If you've not asked for an increase in ammo or something else that could have legitimately triggered it, I'd be tempted to send a polite but firm letter back giving them the details of the clubs I belong to and suggesting they contact them.

[Pete]

Might be because I have 8 rifles on my FAC...........

Pete

[Nelly2014]

Everything about firearms legislation in this country (and elsewhere for all I know) is all about making shooting and possession of guns as difficult and onerous as possible and we just bend over, spread 'em and take it because we don't have any choice other than go live somewhere else.
Probably not Australia however.

[artiglio]

A lot of the extra stuff asked for is probably thought up by those trying to be clever, but once an idea is floated locally , in the risk averse world we now live in no one will turn round and say its not necessary and the extra becomes normal for that area.
As pointed out earlier police forces are woefully underfunded and dealing with FAC's will never be a top priority. The current fee structure can't possibly be accurate for full cost recovery, and will undoubtedly rise before long when a proper bean counter gets involved. £62 buys very little these days in a big organisation,at the very least a force will generally

Send a reminder
receive your renewal application
cash your cheque
pass file to feo
feo reviews and contacts you
once happy returns file
at some point force contacts your gp
contact club secretary (though this has been put on the applicant in this case)
gp's response received and recorded
everything reviewed and new fac issued.

And this for the easiest of renewals, difficult to see this can be done for £62 , especially with a home visit.

In 2013/14 there were 5473 fac's and 22573 sgc's in Kent. A rough guess on fee income would be around 325K annually. To cover.

Wages
Sick leave
NI contributions
Pension (if applicable)
IT costs
Office space and energy
Postage stationary
Telecoms
Training
Transport
Etc Etc

By comparison, my local council feels fit to charge me £70 to receive a letter informing them if I have a change of tenant in one of their leasehold flats.

The system could be streamlined by what the cert covers , expanding ammo, moderators ,spare barrels and the way variations are dealt with , but it would seem only the expanding ammo is going to be dealt with differently in future.

If fees do not increase then the service will most certainly not improve and probably won't even if fees do , unless its very substantially. All a nuisance we have to live with.

[AlieN]

Well thought through answer that artiglio...

AlieN