Agenda item

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 the lining to the cremator was known as the hearth and required replacement each year so was an on-going maintenance cost.

Resolved:

(i)   Thatthe currentperformanceof the crematoriumbe noted.

(ii)  Thatthe GreenFlagscheme be noted.

(iii) Thatthe ServiceAsset ManagementPlan attachedat Appendix3, be notedand approvedandfactoredinto budgetplanningin 2025/26andbeyond.