Agenda item

Report of the Bereavement Services Manager.

The Bereavement Services Manager, Graham Harrison asked Members to note the performance figures from September 2013 to December 2013 and the comparison to the same period for 2012, highlighting that there was a net decrease of 18 cremations.  It was noted there was a total of 732 for the four month period with the October to December profile breakdown showing 170 from Durham, 26 from Spennymoor and 345 from outside of the area.  Councillors were reminded that despite a slight decrease in the numbers of cremations, the figures were within the prudent budget forecast.

Members were asked to note that the number of memorials sold had increased significantly in comparison to the same period the previous year, with sales being £11,211.35 more than the comparable period last year.  It was explained that the recently appointed Business Administration Apprentice had contacted families as regards renewals of memorial plaques and this had helped to boost the figures.

The Bereavement Services Manager added that the Business Administration Apprentice was fitting in very well, was building up a good working relationship with funeral directors and had demonstrated confidence in dealing with service users’ enquires.

The Joint Committee were informed that the crematorium team were dealing with a long term absence, with 2 members of staff from the cemetery team helping to provide support to crematoria operations.  It was noted that following recent staff appraisals, one member of staff had expressed an interest in undertaking further training in respect of the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) diploma course.  It was explained that this would help to build additional skills within the crematorium team and provide greater resilience and was supported by Management.  Members noted the costs and timeframes associated with the course, and were informed that they had been factored into 2013/14 financial outturn. 

Councillors were reminded that, at the September meeting, the Joint Committee had agreed for the Bereavement Services Manager to continue to run crematorium operations until January 2014.  It was added that similarly, Mountsett Crematorium Joint Committee at their last meeting had also agreed for the Bereavement Services Manager to run crematorium operations at Mountsett Crematorium until January 2014.  Councillors noted that operations at the crematoria were running smoothly and good progress was being made on activities such as the Feasibility Study regarding improvement works at Durham Crematorium and other strategic responsibilities.  Members noted that continuation of these arrangements had been factored into the 2014/15 budget setting, and that the arrangements had equated to a saving of £10,129 in respect of salaries and £4,000 on the costs of bungalow.

Members noted that a review of the opening hours of the Crematorium at weekends had been completed, with proposals to alter the opening hours to better suit the needs of service users to: 9.00am to 2.00pm Saturdays; 10.00am to 1.00pm Sundays; and 10.00am to 2.00pm on Bank Holidays. 

It was added that this would be in line with opening hours at Mountsett Crematorium and that it was proposed that the new times be introduced after Easter to allow time to communicate the changes to service users. 

Councillors noted that the proposals would result in an additional 2.5 hours to weekend working and 2 hours on Bank Holidays, estimated to be £2,566 in additional costs. 

The Joint Committee was reminded that Durham Crematorium, in a joint bid with the South Road Cemetery, had retained its Green Flag Award for 2013 and that an application would be made for the Award in 2014.  It was explained that an updated management plan would reflect this application and any financial requirement in respect of necessary works was covered within existing budgets.

Councillors noted that the Recycling of Metals Scheme had generated a sum of £3,472 for the Tees Valley and Durham branch of CRUSE.  The Bereavement Services Manager noted that he would speak to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman as regards future charities that could benefit from the scheme.  Councillors were informed that the Christmas tree placed at the Crematorium by St. Cuthbert’s Hospice had generated donations of £143 for the charity with St. Cuthbert’s Hospice expressing their interest in supplying a tree for 2014, at no cost to the Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee noted the briefing not summarising the issues discussed at the ICCM Conference, held 30 September to 2 October 2013 as attached at Appendix 3 to the report.  

The Bereavement Services Manager noted that following the meeting of the Joint Committee held 25 September 2013 Members had agreed to progress the feasibility study and refine costs associated with “Option C”.  Members noted these were set out within the report and Appendix 4 and were broadly in-line with previous estimates.  It was explained that works would be split into 3 phases: office accommodation works (to be fully completed before moving on to the next phase); development of the new Book of Remembrance building, (again to be fully completed before moving on to the final phase); then the remodelling and extending of the chapel and other customer areas within the main building.  It was noted that the works were based on a 2 year programme, with the office accommodation to be completed by Summer 2014 and the Book of Remembrance building to have foundations completed in 2014/15.  The project to be finally completed by Autumn 2015, with phase 3 works being undertaken in 2015/16.

Members noted that the associated costs for phase 1 and 2 had been factored into the 2014/15 budget and there were various options for financing available to the Joint Committee should they wish to go ahead with redevelopment.  Councillors noted that the options for the procurement of the works could be via competitive tender or in-house delivery, with Members understanding the advantages and disadvantages associated with each option. 

It was pointed out that while the cost of the works was above the value that would require any competitive tender to be under European procurement rules, the County Council’s Constitution notes that where an in-house service can deliver a project there is no statutory requirement to subject the works to competitive tender.  The Joint Committee were reminded of the success of the cremator replacement works, the project coming in on time and within budget, and with minimum disruption to the facility during the works. 

Members were informed that energy generation feasibility work had been progressed further and several issues undermining the business case for energy generation had come to light.  Councillors noted that there would be a significant capital cost required in respect of energy generation equipment and this, together with the feed-in tariff rate being low as a consequence of the energy not being counted as renewable and the lack of grant funding available to offset the capital investment, meant that the payback period for the energy generation would be in excess of 40 years.  Accordingly, Members noted that it was proposed to put the project on hold pending any further developments in relation to feed-in tariff, grant funding or other local developments.

Members asked questions in relation to: issues of competitive tender and opportunities for local businesses to secure contracts; the higher level of contingency allocated in comparison to the previous cremator replacement works project; and the high capital value that would be required in respect of energy generation.

The Head of Finance - Financial Services, Paul Darby reminded the Joint Committee that while the cremator replacement project had the Council’s Direct Services as its main contractor, many of the specialist works had been sub-contracted and those had been subject to Tendering.  The cremators themselves which were the largest element of the scheme had been subject to full EU Tendering. 

Councillor K Thompson noted that if the Joint Committee was to decide to approve the Council’s in-house service as the main contractor for redevelopment works, he felt that details of the sub-contracts should be reported back to the Joint Committee.  The Head of Finance - Financial Services noted that for the cremator replacement works, the Joint Committee had received regular updates on progress and any issues arising.  It was added that the contingency sum for the cremator replacement works had been a slightly lower percentage, and had been used in relation to deeper foundation that had been required. 

Members noted that the flexibility of in-house team as main contractor for the cremator replacement works had meant that time and money was saved in relation to reprogramming and being able to find solutions without variations to contracts.  The Head of Finance - Financial Services added that should the contingency as proposed for the new redevelopment works was not used, it would be retained by the Joint Committee.  The Senior Projects Manager, Richard Fenwick explained that a slightly larger contingency percentage was felt appropriate as the 3 phase programme had greater risks, with works being to public areas of the building. 

It was added that any potential sub-contracts would be through the appropriate frameworks and there would be an opportunity for local companies to tender at that stage. 

The Senior Projects Manager explained that the high capital cost of the energy generation equipment was in part due to the highly specialist nature and            scale of the equipment required.  Members were reminded that heat recovery had been built in at the cremator replacement stage, providing heating and hot water for the crematorium.

Resolved:

(i)       That the current performance of the Crematorium and monitoring against           budget be noted.

(ii)      That the positive situation with regards to the sale of Memorials be noted.

(iii)      That the current staffing arrangements and action on building resilience be           noted.

(iv)     That the enrolment of a member of staff on the Institute of Cemetery and           Cremation Management Diploma course be approved.

(v)      That the changes to the opening times at weekends and bank holidays be           approved.

(vi)     That the distribution of the recycling income to the respective charities be           noted.

(vii)     That provision of a Christmas tree by St. Cuthbert’s Hospice for 2014 be           approved.

(viii)    That the progress on the improvement works be noted and the funding for the project be approved.

(ix)     That the contract for the improvement works be awarded to Durham County Council’s in-house team.

(x)      That progress with the energy generation feasibility study be noted and that           further developments are held back until any changes in grants or feed-in           tariffs.