High Peak OAPs face long journey to new registry office

A council decision to move Buxton Registry Office from the town hall to the library on the other side of town has been branded ‘disgusting’.
The Kents Bank site that houses a number of services including Buxton LibraryThe Kents Bank site that houses a number of services including Buxton Library
The Kents Bank site that houses a number of services including Buxton Library

Funeral director Bernard Kenney has told how OAPs travelling in from rural areas to register a death will be forced to change buses at market place to reach the new location - or walk three quarters of a mile.

It is understood several elderly people had complained of being cold at the town hall premises.

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Bernard’s daughter Dianne Kenney, 44, said the move by Derbyshire County Council made no sense as she worried about disabled parking provision and a lack of taxis at the town hall.

She said: “It doesn’t make sense.

“If for example there’s a mistake with the cause of death on the certificate then it would have to go back to the surgery to be corrected - which is at the town hall.”

A spokesman for Derbyshire County Council said: “From Wednesday (April 3) people will be able to register births, deaths and marriages at Buxton Library.

“We are re-locating the registration office as the space we have there is unsuitable for our visitors who may be frail or vulnerable.

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“We receive a lot of enquiries from people who would like to get married at the register office but unfortunately there is nowhere at the town hall to host wedding ceremonies.

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“As part of our commitment to improve services for local people we are currently in the process of creating a ceremony room at the library and we are considering other alternative wedding venues so that couples have a choice about where they can get married in Buxton.”