Issue - meetings

The Senior Accounting Technician submitted a report on the Period 5 Budget Monitoring position as at the end of August 2022.

It was noted that there was a favourable variance and the reasons were presented as follows;

·        Over profile income due to a higher number of cremations

·        The delays in the service improvement plan caused by the pandemic in turn creating an underspend

·        Staffing costs were above profile due to re-deployment costs and pay increases.

·        Four capital improvement schemes had originally been planned for 2022/23, however, only one had been completed; the new music system.

The overall outlook was cautious due to the significant number of repairs/improvements to undertake which were subject to inflationary pressures. A more reflective budget would be presented to the next meeting of the committee.

It was acknowledged that the impact of the rise in energy costs had not yet been felt. This was as a result of the current tariffs for gas and electricity being fixed until the end of March 2023. Discussion took place around the potential impact of a significant price rise in the next financial year. The committee heard that this was an unpredictable situation and it was necessary to gather as much data as possible before any budget decisions could be made.

Members discussed the options for setting fees and charges for 2023/24 and factors that would need to be taken into consideration such as;

·        The fast moving economic climate

·        The fees of the Chesterfield and District Crematorium compared with the local and national averages

·        The standard of the service provided

·        The impact on communities of any potential price increase

·        The timescale for agreeing fees and publishing them and the effects of any delays

·        Whether fees need to be set for a full year in advance or could be adjusted in response to changes to costs

RESOLVED –

That the report be noted.

REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS –

To keep the Joint Committee informed about the financial performance of the Crematorium.