Council and Democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 2, Town Hall, Chesterfield

Contact: Rachel Lenthall  01246 345277

Items
No. Item

1.

Appointment of a Chair (To be appointed from Bolsover District Council)

Minutes:

That Councillor Ritchie be appointed Chair of the Committee for 2017/18.

2.

Appointment of a Vice-Chair (To be appointment from Chesterfield Borough Council)

Minutes:

That Councillor Ludlow be appointed Vice-Chair of the Committee for 2017/18.

 

(Councillor Ludlow then took the Chair.)

3.

Declarations of Interest by Members and Officers relating to items on the Agenda

Minutes:

No declarations were received.

4.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Ritchie and Murray-Carr.

5.

Minutes of the Joint Crematorium Committee held on 20th March 2017 pdf icon PDF 220 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That the Minutes of the Joint Crematorium Committee on 20 March 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

6.

Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2017 pdf icon PDF 188 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED –

 

1)   That the report be noted and the Statement of Accounts be approved.

 

2)   That the carry forward requests be approved. 

Minutes:

The Treasurer to the Committee and the Bereavement Services Manager submitted a report on the final accounts of the Joint Committee for the year ended 31 March 2017, including revenue account and balance sheet.

 

The report noted that at year end there had been a surplus of £616,559 and outlined the areas where there had been variances from the approved budget.

 

In addition, the report contained a table detailing the schemes that required carry forward requests to 2017/18.

 

Information was given on six useable reserves shown in the balance sheet:

 

·        Revenue Reserve

·        Mercury Abatement Reserve

·        Equipment Reserve

·        Organ Reserve

·        Cremator Repairs Reserve

·        Capital Improvement Reserve

 

A redistribution of £1,621k has been made to the constituent authorities. This was made up of £616k surplus on 2016/17, £455k accumulated surpluses in the Revenue Reserve and £550k from the unallocated balances of the Capital Improvement Reserve (approved at meeting on the 20 March 2017).

 

RESOLVED –

 

1)   That the report be noted and the Statement of Accounts be approved.

 

2)   That the carry forward requests be approved. 

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS

 

To ensure that Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee approves the Statement of Accounts for 2016/17 and that a balanced revenue budget is maintained for 2017/18.

7.

Local Government Act 1972 - Exclusion of the Public

To move “That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act” on the grounds that it contains information relating to financial or business affairs.

 

Part 2 (Non-Public Information)

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That under Regulation 21 (1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements)(Access to Information)(England) Regulations 2000, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by Paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972’ on the grounds that it contains information relating to financial or business affairs.

8.

Bereavement Service Manager's Report

-      Report to follow.

Decision:

RESOLVED –

 

1)   That the report be noted.

 

2)   That the Risk Register be approved.

 

3)   That approval be given for expenditure of £6,000 to upgrade screens in the chapel.

 

4)   That the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee recommend to the Commercial Services Manager that the recruitment to the vacant post of Bereavement Services Manager be commenced urgently and that the post be advertised with a competitive salary.

 

Minutes:

The Bereavement Services Manager submitted a report on matters relating to the operation of the Crematorium.

 

Information on cremations for the year, together with a comparison of income for 2015/16 against 2016/17 was provided.

 

The report updated the Committee on the completion of the chapel refurbishment which had been carried out with minimal disturbance to services and noted that staff have received positive comments from Funeral Directors, Clergy and families attending services. The report sought approval for additional expenditure for an upgrade to the video screens as these were becoming increasingly popular.

 

The Committee thanked the Bereavement Service Manager for all the work that she had done for the Crematorium. 

 

RESOLVED –

 

1)   That the report be noted.

 

2)   That the Risk Register be approved.

 

3)   That approval be given for expenditure of £6,000 to upgrade screens in the chapel.

 

4)   That the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee recommend to the Commercial Services Manager that the recruitment to the vacant post of Bereavement Services Manager be commenced urgently and that the post be advertised with a competitive salary.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS

 

To ensure statutory compliance and the ongoing quality, cost effectiveness and safe operation of the service.

9.

Update on Crematorium Delivery Options

Decision:

RESOLVED –

 

 

1)   That further advice be sought from the Local Government Association and the local authority peer group before a decision be made on the future management of the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium.

 

2)   That work to explore the future management options for the Chesterfield and District Crematorium, including the option of setting up a wholly owned company, be continued.

 

3)   That, following the consideration of further advice, the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee’s recommendations be referred to the respective Councils to clarify the preferred option and to outline the necessary legal and governance arrangements.

 

Minutes:

The Director of Finance & Resources for Chesterfield Borough Council provided an update on the progress made to develop a wholly owned Company to run the crematorium.

 

The report outlined the legal advice which has been taken to date and provided additional information from Freeth’s Solicitors in answer to questions posed by the Director of Finance & Resources, as set out in Appendix A of the officer’s report.

 

Members felt further consultation was needed with the Local Government Association and other authorities who operate crematoriums to consider the options and advice authorities had received to enable a fully informed decision to be made.

 

RESOLVED –

 

1)   That further advice be sought from the Local Government Association and the local authority peer group before a decision be made on the future management of the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium.

 

2)   That work to explore the future management options for the Chesterfield and District Crematorium, including the option of setting up a wholly owned company, be continued.

 

3)   That, following the consideration of further advice, the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee’s recommendations be referred to the respective Councils to clarify the preferred option and to outline the necessary legal and governance arrangements.

 

REASON FOR DECISIONS

 

To continue the development of the wholly owned Company to meet the needs of the bereaved.