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Marriage and Civil Partnerships

A licence is required to allow for the solemnisation of Civil Marriages and formation of Civil Partnerships, and other non-statutory ceremonies as and when they are introduced.

 

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Department: 

Licensing Team, Vale of Glamorgan Council, Civic Office, Holton Road, Barry, CF63 4RU

 

Application Process 

A licence is required to allow for the solemnisation of Civil Marriages and formation of Civil Partnerships, and other non statutory ceremonies as and when they are introduced.

  •  Application Information

    When applying for a licence the applicant should submit:

    • a completed application form
    • the appropriate fee. Please note this fee is non-returnable.
    • up to date fire risk assessment and certificates if available
    • four copies of the plan of the premises clearly identifying the room(s) in which marriages will be solemnised if approval is granted. Indicate on the plan the room which will be used by the Registrar for pre-marriage questioning

     

    Additional information to submit:

    The Applicant should provide the Local Authority with such additional information as it may reasonably require in order to determine the application, this may include:

    • public liability insurance
    • other relevant licences e.g. issued under Licensing Act for alcohol etc
    • proof of permission to apply if applicant is not the premises owner 
  •  After you have submitted your application

    As soon as practicable after receiving the application, the Local Authority will make the application and plan available to members of the public for inspection at all reasonable hours during the working day until such time that the application has been finally determined or withdrawn.

     

    The Local Authority shall consider any notice of objection arising from the public consultation.

     

    The Local Authority shall write to the Applicant and any person who has given notice of objection of its decision and of any conditions imposed on the licence.

     

    The Proper Officer Representative, or their representative, will inspect the premises for suitability.

     

    If the licence is granted it will be valid for three years.

  •  Renewal of Approval

    The holder may apply for the renewal of an approval when the current approval has between six and twelve months to run. An application for renewal made in this period will extend the current approval until the application has been finally dealt with. A renewal will run from the expiry date of the current approval.

     

    An Applicant who is aggrieved in relation to a decision to refuse an approval or to attach conditions other than those specified - Schedule 2 of the Marriages (Approved Premises) Regulations 1995 may request a review of that decision.

    The application for review must be accompanied by the appropriate fee.

     

    The Local Authority may revoke an approval if it is satisfied, after considering any representations from the holder, that the use or structure of the premises has changed so that any of the standard of local requirements cannot be met or the holder has failed to comply with one or more of the standard of local conditions attached to the approval.

     

    The Registrar General may direct the Local Authority to revoke an approval if, in his opinion and after considering any representations from the holder, there have been breaches of the law relating to marriage on the approved premises.

     

    When an approval has been revoked, the regulations require the former holder to notify any couples who had arranged to marry on the premises.

     

    The Local Authority will notify the Applicant on the result of the review.

 

 

Tacit Consent

Yes. This means that you will be able to act as though your application is granted if you have not heard from the local authority by the end of the target completion period.

 

The target time is 35 calendar days.

This may be extended if objections are received to allow for a hearing.

 

Background and Eligibility Criteria 

The Marriages (Approved Premises) Regulations 1995 allow civil marriages to take place regularly in hotels, stately homes, civic halls and similar premises without compromising the fundamental principles of English marriage law and Parliament's intention to maintain the solemnity of the occasion.

 

All civil marriages require the prior agreement of the superintendent Registrar.

Outdoor civil wedding and partnership ceremonies in England and Wales have been legalised.

Ceremonies will now be able to take place fully outdoors or under a partially covered structure within the 

boundary of a venue that has a civil ceremony licence. 

 

The Application for approval of premises as a venue for marriages may be completed by a proprietor or trustee of the premises. 

 

Conditions 

  •  List of Conditions

    1. The holder of the approval must ensure that there is at all times an individual with responsibility for ensuring compliance with these conditions ("the responsible person") and that the responsible person's occupation, seniority, position of responsibility in relation to the premises, or other factors (his "qualification"), indicate that he is in a position to ensure compliance with these conditions.

     

    2. The responsible person or, in his absence, an appropriately qualified deputy appointed by him, shall be available on the premises for a minimum of one hour prior to and throughout each of the proceedings.

     

    3. The holder must notify the authority—

    (a) of his name and address immediately upon him becoming the holder of an approval under regulation 7(2); and

    (b) of the name, address and qualification of the responsible person immediately upon the appointment of a new responsible person.

     

    4. The holder must notify the authority immediately of any change to any of the following—

    (a) the layout of the premises, as shown in the plan submitted with the approved application, or in the use of the premises;

    (b) the name or full postal address of the approved premises;

    (c) the description of the room or rooms in which the proceedings are to take place;

    (d) the name or address of the holder of the approval; and

    (e) the name, address or qualification of the responsible person.

     

    5. The approved premises must be made available at all reasonable times for inspection by the authority.

     

    6. A suitable notice stating that the premises have been approved for the proceedings and identifying and giving directions to the room in which the proceedings are to take place must be displayed at each public entrance to the premises for one hour prior to and throughout the proceedings.

     

    7. No food or drink may be sold or consumed in the room in which the proceedings take place for one hour prior to or during those proceedings.

     

    8. All proceedings must take place in a room which was identified as one to be used for that purpose on the plan submitted with the approved application.

     

    9. The room in which the proceedings are to take place must be separate from any other activity on the premises at the time of the proceedings.

     

    10. The arrangements for and content of the proceedings must meet with the prior approval of the superintendent registrar of the district, or the registration authority of the area, as the case may be, in which the approved premises are situated.

     

    11. —

    (1) Any proceedings conducted on approved premises shall not be religious in nature.

    (2) In particular, the proceedings shall not—

      (a) include extracts from an authorised religious marriage service or from sacred religious texts;

      (b) be led by a minister of religion or other religious leader;

      (c) involve a religious ritual or series of rituals;

      (d) include hymns or other religious chants; or,

      (e) include any form of worship.

    (3) But the proceedings may include readings, songs, or music that contain an incidental reference to a god or deity in an essentially non-religious context.

    (4) For this purpose any material used by way of introduction to, in any interval between parts of, or by way of conclusion to the proceedings shall be treated as forming part of the proceedings.

     

    12. Public access to any proceedings in approved premises must be permitted without charge.

     

    13. Any reference to the approval of premises on any sign or notice, or on any stationery or publication, or within any advertisement may state that the premises have been approved by the authority as a venue for marriage in pursuance of section 26(1)(bb) of the 1949 Act and the formation of civil partnerships under section 6(3A)(a) of the 2004 Act but shall not state or imply any recommendation of the premises or its facilities by the authority, the Registrar General or any of the officers or employees of either of them.

     

    14. If a change of name to the approved premises occurs after the issue of the certificate for marriage or the civil partnership document but before the proceedings, the former name of the approved premises as recorded in the certificate for marriage or the civil partnership document shall remain valid for its duration for the purpose of the proceedings.

     

    The following conditions will be attached to the approval by the Council and further conditions may be attached where deemed necessary.

     

    15. The responsible person(s) at the approved venue shall ensure that two car parking spaces are clearly marked as reserved for the use of Registration Officers

     

    16. A table and 1 chair shall be provided for use by the Superintendent Registrar and Registrar in the room(s) which have been approved.

     

    17. Seating shall be provided in the approved rooms for the majority of persons attending the marriage or civil partnership ceremony.

     

    18. The maximum number of persons allowed in each room(s) is as follows:- (number will be inserted upon grant of approval).

 

 

Fees

Application fee £1255

The fee is an application fee and therefore non-refundable once application has been submitted.

 

Complaint and Other Redress

  •  Failed Application Redress

    Please contact the Licensing Team in the first instance:

     

    Tel: 01446 709105

    Email: licensing@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

     

    Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence may appeal to the Magistrates Courts who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.

  •  Licence Holder Redress
    Please contact the Licensing Team in the first instance:

     

    Tel: 01446 709105

    Email: licensing@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

     

    Any person aggrieved by any conditions to which a licence is subject may appeal to the Magistrates Courts who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.

     

    The Local Authority may revoke an approval if it is satisfied, after considering any representations from the holder, that the use or structure of the premises has changed so that any of the standard of local requirements cannot be met or the holder has failed to comply with one or more of the standard of local conditions attached to the approval.

     

    The Registrar General may direct the Local Authority to revoke an approval if, in his opinion and after considering any representations from the holder, there have been breaches of the law relating to marriage on the approved premises.

     

    When an approval has been revoked, the regulations require the former holder to notify any couples who had arranged to marry on the premises.

     

    The Local Authority will notify the Applicant on the result of the review.

  •  Consumer Complaint
    We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you, preferably in the form of a letter with proof of delivery. 

     

    If that has not worked and you are located in the UK Consumer Direct will be able to give you advice.    

     

    If you have a complaint from across Europe contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

  •  Appeal Process

    An applicant may seek a review by the Local Authority of its decision to refuse to  to attach local conditions, to refuse to renew an approval or to revoke an approval.

     

    The review must be carried out by a different Officer, committee or Sub-Committee than that which made the decision, which is being appealed against. The review panel may confirm the decision, rescind it or vary it with the imposition of fresh or further conditions.

     

    The Local Authority may charge an additional fee for a review of its decision to refuse to grant an approval, to attach local conditions or to refuse to renew an approval. A direction by the Registrar General to revoke an approval is not subject to review by the Local Authority

 

 

Regulations and Guidance