Many constituents have contacted Richard about rising firearms licence fees and long delays in processing applications. Firearms are vital in rural areas, especially for farmers who use them to protect livestock and carry out emergency humane euthanasia. Earlier this year, Richard supported a letter from the APPG on Shooting and Conservation urging the Minister to address these issues. You can read Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson MP's reply here.
Richard and Police and Crime Commissioner John Tizard now hold quarterly meetings to address crime issues in North Bedfordshire, including firearms licensing. In February's meeting, Mr Tizard confirmed that 11 new staff had joined the unit and AI tools were being used to help clear the backlog within six months.
After visiting Bedford Rifle Club in April to hear concerns about licensing delays, Richard requested an update from PCC John Tizard. On 15 May, the PCC confirmed that while some progress had been made, challenges were greater than he had expected. Twelve new officers joined the Firearms Licensing team, and a change project was launched to review how to improve automation using Bedfordshire’s Nectar AI system. Two Firearms Enquiry Officers now handle in-person checks, supported by six core and three seconded officers across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire. However, despite some positive feedback from licence holders, at the time of reporting approximately 6,000 cases remained in the queue.
In June, Richard met with Bedfordshire Police Chief Executive Trevor Rodenhurst to discuss ongoing challenges with firearms licensing. In July, he wrote again to the PCC to request a progress update, and asked whether the changes had improved processing times and service quality. The PCC's office confirmed that Bedfordshire Police launched the AI-powered Nectar system in late August. While the system is expected to improve efficiency, the PCC's office advised that both the technology and related processes require significant reform. Despite adding more staff, turnaround times haven’t improved as hoped. The Chief Constable noted that achieving adequate staffing without AI support would cost over £4 million. Bedfordshire’s Deputy Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Officer are now directly involved, and Chief Constables across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire are monitoring progress.
In September, Richard requested an update on the merger of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire firearms licensing teams, and the performance of the Nectar AI system. The PCC confirmed that urgent improvements are still needed and advised that additional staff have been seconded to the Firearms Licensing team, including six officers from Cambridgeshire and senior officers from Bedfordshire. He also stated that they are looking at how to improve communication with licence holders to ensure greater transparency.
You can read more about Richard’s work on this issue below.
