Venue: Chapel - Mountsett Crematorium, Dipton. View directions
Contact: Michelle Lagar 03000 269 701
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Apologies for Absence Minutes: Apologiesfor absencewerereceivedfromCouncillors G Binney.
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Substitute Members Minutes: There were no substitute members
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Minutes: TheMinutesof themeeting heldon 2 July 2024wereconfirmedas acorrect recordandsignedbythe Chair.
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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External Audit Annual Review of the Return for the year ended 31 March 2024 Additional documents: Minutes: TheJoint Committee considered thereport oftheCorporateDirectorof Neighbourhoods andClimate Changeand CorporateDirector ofResourcesand Treasurer to the Joint Committee which presented for approval the External Auditors (Mazars LLP) AnnualReviewof theJoint Committees Returnforthe year ended31 March2024 (forcopyseefile ofminutes).
TheFinance Manageradvisedthattheaudit hadnowbeen completedand ithad nothighlightedanymaterial weaknesses aroundtheJointCommittees systemof internalcontrolandaccounting statements andno exceptions tothe Returnhad beenreported.
Resolved: That the Joint CommitteesAnnualGovernance and Accountability Returnfor theyearended31 March2024includingthe External Report2023/24Certificate(attached at Appendix2) be approved.
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Performance and Operational Report - Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar Additional documents: Minutes: TheJoint Committeeconsideredthe reportof theBereavementServicesManagerand Registrarwhichprovidedan updateon performance and other operationalmatters (for copysee fileof minutes)
TheBereavementServicesManagerandRegistrarreportedthat 303cremations hadbeenundertakenduringtheperiod1 June2024 to31 August2024,compared to348 inthecomparableperiod lastyear, 45less cremationswere undertakenin the periodJunetoAugust2023 comparedtothe sameperiodlastyear. Thenumberof memorialssoldwas recordedat 27comparedto39inthe same periodthe previous year,which wasa decreaseof 12memorialssoldandanincreaseof incomeof £3,556 yearon year.
It hadbeenremarkedthat onceagain,MountsettCrematorium was successfully obtained aGreenFlagAwardfor thethirteenthyearrunning.Thishad comeon topof the award of Gold Star Status in theInstitute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management Accreditation.
The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar noted the Service Asset Management Plan (SAMP) was attached at Appendix 3 to the report, which set out the priorities of maintenance for the Crematorium: Priority1 essentialworks 2025/26 estimated at £111,800. Priority2 essential works 2026/27 estimated at £379,900. Priority3 longer-termworks in the next 2 years estimated at £180,600.
Councillor M Walton noted that each of the priorities included a recurring instance of essential works detailed as ‘re-lining of 1 hearth’ and queried why this was necessary. Graham Harrison, Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar clarified that ... view the full minutes text for item 6. |
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Financial Monitoring Report - Position at 31/08/24, with Projected Outturn at 31/03/25 Minutes: TheJoint Committee receiveda jointreportof theCorporateDirector Neighbourhoods andClimate Changeand CorporateDirectorof Resourcesand Treasurer to theJointCommitteewhich provideddetailsof theprovisionaloutturn positionfor 2024/25and theprojectedlevelof reservesandbalancesat 31 March 2025.(forcopyseefile ofminutes)
The Finance Manager responded to a question from Councillor M Walton regarding a £4,000 underspend in energy costs. The forecast reflected an underspend due to an overestimate of future fuel price increases for 2024. These forecasts would be realigned in January 2025 to reflect correct energy prices.
Resolved: That theApril toAugust2024 financial monitoring reportandassociatedprovisional outturnpositionat 31March2025,includingthe projectedyearpositionwithregards tothe reservesand balancesof theJointCommitteebe noted.
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Risk Register Update 2024/25 Review 1 Minutes: TheJoint Committee received ajointreportof theCorporateDirector, Neighbourhoods andClimateChange;and CorporateDirectorof Resourcesand Treasurer totheJointCommitteethat provided details ofthe outcomeof thehalf-yearlyrisk reviewinAugust2024(for copy seefile of minutes).
Philip Curran, Finance Manager, shared the report which highlighted minor risk updates on the previous years but noted that this was still within the risk appetite.
Resolved: Thatthe contentof thereportand the updated position be noted.
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Internal Audit Charter Additional documents: Minutes: The Joint Committee considered a Report of the Chief Internal Auditor and Corporate FraudManagerwhichsoughtagreement ontheInternalAuditCharterto beappliedto reviewsundertaken aspartof theInternalAuditplan for2024/25(for copyseefile of minutes).
TheAudit Managerexplained thatwithnonewrevisionsmadeto thePSIAS there wereno amendmentsto theCharterfor this year, however changes would be required next year.
Resolved: Thatthe InternalAuditCharterset out at Appendix2 beapproved. |
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Annual Review of the System of Internal Audit Minutes: TheJoint Committee received thereport oftheCorporateDirectorof Neighbourhoods andClimate Changeand CorporateDirectorof Resourcesand Treasurer tothe JointCommitteewhichprovided details of areviewof the effectiveness ofthe DurhamCountyCouncil InternalAuditService,which was carriedoutbythe CountyCouncil’sAuditCommitteein June2024(for copysee file of minutes).
Nicola Cooke, Internal Audit Manager gave a summary of the audit which concluded that ‘Durham County Council’s Internal Audit Service’s self-assessment was accurate and as such concluded that they fully conform with the requirements of the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards and the CIPFA Local Government Application Note.
Resolved: Thatthe information demonstrating the efficiency and effectivenessof the Durham County Council InternalAudit Service be noted.
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Budget Strategy Report Minutes: TheJoint Committeeconsideredthe JointReportof the CorporateDirectorof Neighbourhoods andClimate Changeand CorporateDirectorof Resourcesand Treasurer whichoutlineda rangeof issuesthat wouldneedto beconsideredas part ofthe medium-termfinancialplanningfor theMountsettCrematorium.Theviewsof the committee weresought inadvance ofthe 2025/26budgetsettingprocess(for copyseefile of minutes)
The Finance Manager outlined significant capital investment of over £4.1 million had been undertaken at Mountsett Crematorium since Local Government Reorganisation in 2009, with further investments of over £2 million planned for the coming years in line with the Service Asset Management Plan. He explained that Members would recall fees and charges had been harmonised with Central Durham Crematorium at £875 and an increase of £50 was proposed for 2025/26. This rise in charges would still mean that fees remainedamongthe lowestin comparisontoneighbouringfacilities andwas wellbelowthecurrentregionalaverage.
A robust medium-term budget forecast had been produced for the Joint Committee and demonstrated that subject to agreement of the fee increase next year, the reserve balances of the Joint Committee were still projected to be sufficient to meet the liabilities and commitments of the Joint Committee for the coming years.
Resolved: (i) Thatthecontentsof the report be noted.
(ii) Thatthe proposedincreasein thefeesand charges,as identifiedinthe report be approved.
(iii) That a review of the budgetstrategyin September2025 be agreed in preparationfor the 2026/27budgetsettingyear.
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Such other business Minutes: The Chair agreed that in order to keep Members informed, the next items of business could be reported.
Informal Briefing Session – Resomation
The Chair addressed the Joint Committee to ascertain interest in joining an informal remote information briefing outlining Resomation; water-based cremators. The Committee expressed an interest in joining a briefing session and further information would be provided at the next meeting.
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