CHILTERNS CREMATORIUM JOINT COMMITTEE

 

 

 

MINUTES of the Meeting of the CHILTERNS CREMATORIUM JOINT COMMITTEE

 

held on 15 JANUARY 2009

 

at AYLESBURY VALE DISTRICT COUNCIL AT 4.00 pm

 

 

 

PRESENT:

Councillor J F Warder

- Chairman (Chiltern District Council)

 

 

 

 

Councillor K McPartland

- Aylesbury Vale District Council

 

         "      D Thompson

  Aylesbury Vale District Council

 

         "      A Green

- Wycombe District Council

 

         "      H McCarthy

- Wycombe District Council

 

 

 

     APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: were received from Councillors G E Sussum.

 

 

 

16.          MINUTES

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

17.     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

 

 

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

18.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the Chairman of the Joint Committee and the Superintendent be authorised to attend the 2009 Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management Annual Conference.

 

 

 

19.

LIAISON MEETING WITH PERSONS TAKING SERVICES AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS

 

 

 

In accordance with the normal practice of holding liaison meetings on an annual basis, the Joint Committee-

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the next Liaison meeting be held on 23 April at 6.30 pm preceded by refreshments at 6.00pm.

 

 

 

20.     CAR PARKING AND CCTV

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

1.

 

That the proposal to install CCTV be not progressed.

 

2.

 

That the proposal to provide additional car parking spaces in the Milton chapel car park be agreed in principle and a further report setting out the planning issues and how they may be resolved be submitted to a future meeting.

 

 

 

21.

WEB-CASTING OF FUNERALS AND USE OF AUDIO VISUAL EQUIPMENT

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     After indicating that it would be useful to have a demonstration of the audio visual equipment at

 

     the Liaison Meeting on 23 April 2009 the Joint Committee

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

1.

 

That a web-casting facility be added to the Wesley Music system in both chapels at an estimated cost of £2.100.

 

2.

 

That agreement be given to acquire an audio visual system at an estimated cost of £3,500.

 

 

 

22.     DEER DAMAGE TO COMMEMORATIVE ROSES

 

 

 

     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

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the report be noted.

 

 

 

23.

SCANNING OF MANUAL CREMATION REGISTERS AND DECEASED ON LINE

 

 

 

With increasing interest in genealogy a commercial company, Deceased on Line (DOL), had developed an internet based system which enabled people researching their family tree to search burial and cremation records.

 

 

 

The Joint Committee considered a report setting out the potential of DOL in terms of income generating possibilities for the Crematorium. After considering the costs members concurred in the view of the Superintendent that the income generating potential of the DOL system was low and that, relative to the costs involved, there was currently no justification either for the business case, or the risk in security and use, in scanning the manual cremation registers or putting them onto the DOL system.

 

 

 

After recognising the need to keep the matter under review, the Joint Committee accordingly

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

1.

 

That for the reasons outlined in the report the manual cremation registers be not scanned and put onto the Deceased on Line system.

 

2.

 

That the matter be kept under review in light of the future number of genealogy enquiries being made to the Crematorium and the success (or otherwise ) of the Deceased on Line  system,

 

 

 

24.     BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE AND LEATHER MEMORIAL PLAQUES

 

 

 

The calligraphers, F.G. Marshall Ltd (FGM), had been providing and servicing the Book of Remembrance, Miniature Memorial Books and Memorial Cards, since the Crematorium opened in 1966.

 

 

 

Provision of these services had been last reviewed by the Joint Committee in 2003 when it was resolved to suspend standing orders in order that the company’s services might be retained for a further period and the Joint Committee considered a report inviting it to decide whether the services provided by F. G Marshall should be market tested.

 

 

 

After noting that the service provided by F.G Marshall Ltd continued to be of the highest standard and after accepting the arguments put forward in the report the Joint Committee

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the provision of the Book of Remembrance and the Leather Memorial Plaque Scheme be not market tested and standing orders be suspended to enable the services provided by F. G. Marshall Ltd to be retained for a further period.

 

 

25.     PROPOSED CREMATORIUM: AYLESBURY

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the preference for site Q1/A1 be reaffirmed and approval be given to spend up to £10,000 on engaging consultants to secure allocation of the site in the Local Development Framework.

 

 

 

 

 

26.

THE CREMATION (ENGLAND AND WALES) REGULATIONS 2008 NEW CREMATION FORMS

 

 

 

     The Cremation (England and Wales) Regulations 2008, which came into force on

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the report be noted and the proposal set out therein be supported.

 

 

 

27.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     After noting that no provision had been made in the programme for a new chapel in Aylesbury Vale,

 

     the Joint Committee

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the capital expenditure programme for 2008/2209 to 2011/2012 be agreed

 

 

 

28.

FEES AND CHARGES

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That the fees and charges for 2009/10 as shown in appendix b of the report be agreed and the main cremation fee be set at £420.

 

 

 

29.

REVENUE

 

 

 

     The Joint Committee considered a report detailing the 2009/10 original revenue estimates      together with the 2008/2009 revised estimates.

 

 

 

     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.

 

 

 

     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

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That, subject to the inclusion of the item of expenditure referred to in Minute 25 above, and subject to the figure for income being amended to reflect the decision made in respect of the main crematorium fee the 2008/2009 revised and 2009/10 original estimates be approved.

 

 

 

30     EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded

from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the

likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

 

 

 

Note: The relevant paragraph number from Part I of Schedule 12A is indicated at the end of the Minute heading.

 

 

 

31.     MEDICAL REFEREES FEES –Paragraphs 7, 8 and 12

 

 

 

The Crematorium has three medical referees (a medical referee and two deputies) and no cremation can be carried out without the written authorisation of the medical referee.

 

 

 

Medical referees had traditionally been paid per certificate following recommendations by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for Doctors Assisting Local Authorities and the Joint Committee received a report explaining how this arrangement had changed to one where fee levels had to be negotiated  on a localised basis at all crematoria.

 

 

 

The report went on to explain that during 2008 a number of changes had occurred, or been initiated, which would impact on the medical referees at Chilterns Crematorium in terms of increasing their work load.

 

 

 

In the light of this increase members supported the recommendation for an additional increase in the fee paid to the medical referees, and that the matter be kept under review in the light of developments as the affect of the changes manifest themselves in practice.

 

 

 

The Joint Committee accordingly

 

 

 

RESOLVED -

 

1.

 

That the medical referee’s fee be increased (in addition to the cost-of-living increase as per the medical referee’s service agreement) from £8.92 to £10.00 per certificate, effective from 1st January 2009.

 

2.

 

That the mileage fee paid to the medical referees be increased from 54.4 pence per mile to 56.4 pence per mile, as per the recommendation by the BMA for doctors completing cremation certificates, effective from 1st January 2009 and that for the time being future increases in mileage payments be in line with the BMA recommendation, subject to periodic review.

 

3.

That the fee paid to the medical referees be kept under review in the light of future developments as outlined in the report.

 

.

 

 

 

32.     NEXT MEETING

 

 

 

Meetings were located at Amersham, Aylesbury and High Wycombe on a rotation basis and the next meeting would be held at High Wycombe.

 

 

 

The date was agreed for Wednesday 24 June 2009 at 4pm at the offices of Wycombe District Council.

 

 

 

 

 

The Meeting ended at 6.10pm.