CHILTERNS CREMATORIUM JOINT COMMITTEE |
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MINUTES of the Meeting of the CHILTERNS CREMATORIUM JOINT COMMITTEE |
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held on 15 JANUARY 2009 |
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at AYLESBURY VALE DISTRICT COUNCIL AT 4.00 pm |
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: were received from Councillors G E Sussum. |
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16. MINUTES |
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The Minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 18 September 2008 were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record. |
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17. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST |
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There were no declarations of interest. |
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After being advised that the Annual Conference of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management would be held in October 2009 and following the normal practice the Joint Committee |
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In accordance with the normal practice of holding liaison meetings on an annual basis, the Joint Committee- |
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20. CAR PARKING AND CCTV |
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The Joint Committee considered a report setting out two proposals for dealing with the capacity problems that can arise at the car park when two very well attended funerals occur at the same time. With regard to the first proposal of installing CCTV cameras that would enable chapel/office staff to see a problem building up, the Committee agreed with the view of the Superintendent that, although such installation would assist in monitoring the flow of traffic in the car park, its impact on improving the management of car parking was less certain. |
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On the second proposal of creating additional car parking spaces at an estimated cost of £4, 500 members concurred in the view that this would bring about a definite improvement by increasing capacity with minimum impact on the appearance of the grounds and would complete the Milton car park in accordance with the intention of the original design. |
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After being advised that a number of planning issues would need to be addressed before the proposal to provide additional parking could be progressed, the Joint Committee |
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The structure of funeral services continued to develop with an increasing use being made of technology and the Joint Committee considered a report setting out proposals to provide (i) an internet web casting service to enable relatives or friends who were unable to attend the service to view it on line at an estimated cost of £2,100 and (ii) audio visual equipment to enable photographs and films to be shown at an estimated cost of £4,300. |
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During the discussion members, after noting that neither would generate a profit, agreed that the provision of these facilities would enhance the level of service and therefore supported the proposals and with regard to the options for (ii) members expressed a preference for purchasing the equipment rather than renting. |
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After indicating that it would be useful to have a demonstration of the audio visual equipment at |
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the Liaison Meeting on 23 April 2009 the Joint Committee |
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22. DEER DAMAGE TO COMMEMORATIVE ROSES |
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The Joint Committee received a report giving details of the action that was being taken to prevent Muntjac deer from entering the grounds and causing damage to the garden and roses. Members were particularly asked to note that the estimated cost of erecting a stock fence was £20,000, provision for which had been included in the 2009/10 capital expenditure programme |
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24. BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE AND LEATHER MEMORIAL PLAQUES |
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25. PROPOSED CREMATORIUM: AYLESBURY |
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The Joint Committee considered a report setting out the latest position with regard to the proposal for a crematorium in Aylesbury. Essentially the Joint Committee’s preferred site (Q1/A1) was supported by Aylesbury Vale District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee but was experiencing sustained objections from the heritage lobby. |
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After considering options for the way forward, members reiterated their support for site Q1/AI and agreed that a further £10,000 be committed to engage consultants to proceed to the next stage and secure allocation of the site in the Local Development Framework. |
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The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008, which came into force on |
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1 January 2009, had brought about significant changes to the statutory administration of cremation since the original regulations were introduced in 1930 and the Joint Committee received a report explaining the implications of the new Regulations for the Crematorium. |
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Amongst other things the new regulations replaced all the existing application forms and medical certificates currently in use with new versions (a total of thirteen forms), as well as giving the applicant for cremation the right to inspect the medical certificates. |
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The Ministry of Justice had suggested that cremation authorities should use the new forms but the report went on to explain why the MOJ version of the new forms had not been used and why instead a re-set version had been produced, with a net saving of three A4 sheets. |
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A number of cremation authorities had however chosen to use the MOJ version and members noted the impact this would have on storage space if the tradition of accepting another Crematorium’s form without question continued. Consequently, the Superintendent had put forward a proposal under which local funeral directors (within the ‘normal’ catchments areas) would be encouraged either to use Chilterns Crematorium forms or forms produced by other cremation authorities provided they consisted of no more than six A4 sheets of paper. In supporting the proposal the Joint Committee recognised that the ultimate sanction would be to reject non-compliant forms from funeral directors who repeatedly flouted the requirement and members felt that it would be helpful if this sanction were politely pointed out to funeral directors in the letter sent to them explaining the requirement. |
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The Joint Committee received a report giving details of actual expenditure to 31 March 2008, plus budgeted expenditure for the current year and the following three years. |
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After noting that no provision had been made in the programme for a new chapel in Aylesbury Vale, |
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the Joint Committee |
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The Joint Committee received a report setting out proposed fees and charges from 1 April 2009 based on a general increase of 3% over the current year charges. |
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With regard to the main cremation fee, following a discussion it was agreed that the fee be increased to £420 with effect from 1 April 2009. |
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The Joint Committee considered a report detailing the 2009/10 original revenue estimates together with the 2008/2009 revised estimates. |
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Revenue expenditure in the current year was expected to be slightly above the original estimate and the report explained the key areas of change. The report also contained a table showing the forecast surplus/deficit by authority and members noted that after the significant capital expenditure on the filtration plant during 2009/10 reserves were expected to increase to just over £1.6m by the end of 2011/12. |
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After noting that the estimates for 2009/10 would need to be amended to reflect the decision made in Minute 25 above and also the setting of the main cremation fee at £420 as agreed in Minute 28 above, the Joint Committee |
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30 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC |
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Note: The relevant paragraph number from Part I of Schedule 12A is indicated at the end of the Minute heading. |
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31. MEDICAL REFEREES FEES –Paragraphs 7, 8 and 12 |
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32. NEXT MEETING |
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The Meeting ended at 6.10pm. |
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