Kirklees Council is going to merge Huddersfield and Dewsbury register offices to save more than £300,000.

The registration of births, marriages and deaths will only be carried out in Huddersfield. Dewsbury Register Office at Dewsbury Town Hall will be closed, though wedding ceremonies will still be held there.

The move, to be agreed by Cabinet next week, will result in the loss of the equivalent of around 10 full-time jobs.

In July 2023, Huddersfield Register Office moved from Huddersfield Town Hall to purpose-built facilities at Civic Centre I.

The council says that has proved successful with “minimal disruption” to residents so Civic Centre I has been chosen as the new combined venue.

A report to Cabinet says that the Huddersfield office is busier than Dewsbury with 57% of registered births and 64% of deaths in 2022-23.

The report says Civic Centre I is very close to Huddersfield Bus Station and a 10-minute walk from Huddersfield Railway Station. “Car parking is readily available close to the Huddersfield site,” it adds.

The report then quotes Census data from 2021 which says “78% of the Kirklees population have access to a car or other motor vehicle.”

The move to a combined office will save £335,000 – £40,000 in 2024-25 and £295,000 in 2025-26. The council also wants to review all fees and charges annually, though some are set nationally.

Up until 2012 Kirklees had two registration districts – Huddersfield and Dewsbury. On October 11 2012 the two districts merged to form Kirklees Registration District.

There is no requirement for a registration district to have more than one register office.

Overall responsibility for civil registration rests with the Home Secretary and any change must be approved by the General Register Office.

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