Agenda item

A report was submitted on the proposed burial arrangements and fees and charges for the Penn Road Cemetery and the proposed fees and charges for the cemetery at High Wycombe. Members were asked to consider the specific details regarding proposed burial arrangements for the new Penn Road Cemetery, which was scheduled for opening on 4 April 2022.

The report stated that following input from the burial sub group the Council had carried out a consultation with key stakeholders and partners to ascertain their views on the core proposed arrangements for the cemetery. The responses for the consultation which were considered up until 24 December 2021 were attached at appendix 2 to the report. The nature of questions asked during the consultation attached at Appendix 1, had focused on such issues as consecrated ground, scattering of ashes, vault/chamber burials, shroud burials and burial plots for cremated remains.

As part of the work undertaken by the burial sub group a review exercise was carried out of the current fees and charges in neighbouring authority areas, as attached at (Appendix 4) to the report. It was proposed that the burial fees should be increased in 2022/23 to cover the increased costs incurred by the service following the recent award of the grounds and maintenance contract for the Wycombe area. It was further proposed that the weekend short notice burial service not be provided due to staffing pressures, but that current model for Saturday short notice service remain in place within the proposed 2022/23 fees and charges. It was emphasised that this would be subject to there being no change to the existing cut off times for standby.

The report requested that Members agree to all the recommendations as set out within the report and that the extension of the standby end time for short notice Saturday burials be rejected, along with the provision of a short notice Sunday burial service for both cemeteries at Penn Road and High Wycombe.

Members deliberated the recommendations before them and a lengthy debate followed.

A number of Members queried the reason as to why parts of Buckinghamshire such as Chesham, Aylesbury and Amersham offered a Sunday burial service but that High Wycombe could not in spite of the large Muslim community residing there. The presenting officer stated that those particular areas were Town Council operated and that they worked on different costings. It was also confirmed by the Presenting Officer that whilst offering the service was not deemed to be good value for money in respect of the small numbers requesting weekend burials, it was a decision for the Committee as to whether they wished to subsidise the Sunday service at £30,000 per annum. In addition, it was emphasised that the regulatory services did not normally operate a weekend service but that officers would keep a watching brief and report any changes to the current system.

Many other Members spoke on the need for the Council to honour the needs of all sections of the community in terms of the services that were provided, and as such a Sunday service should exist regardless of the cost. It was suggested that the scope for working in partnership with other agencies should be explored in order to provide a single shared cover thereby reducing the cost of the operation.

Another question raised was whether the Council could offer some degree of flexibility in terms of offering the service in the summer. The Member was informed that the Sub Group could explore and review the matter further within the first 6 months of the new cemetery opening. Members were also informed that in terms of the depth of concrete chambers, officers would work in collaboration with the sub group to ensure that the deepest depth possible could be offered.

A Member proposed that the decision on the matter of a Sunday burial service be deferred pending further investigation and consideration by the Cemeteries Sub Group which would reconvene with additional Members. The findings would be brought back to the next meeting of the High Wycombe Town Committee scheduled for March.

RESOLVED: That

(i)                   proposed burial arrangements for the Penn Road Cemetery as set out within the report be agreed  

(ii)              The provision of an extension of the standby end time for short notice Saturday burial services be further considered by the newly formed Cemeteries Sub Group and reported back to the High Wycombe Town Committee at the next meeting.

(iii)            The Cemeteries Sub Group reconvene to consider the provision of a Sunday Burial service at the Penn Road and High Wycombe Cemeteries and the associated costings.