No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Diouf and Blank.

RESOLVED –

That the Minutes of the Joint Crematorium Committee meeting held on 14 December, 2015 be approved as a true record.

The Bereavement Services Manager and the Clerk and Treasurer submitted a report on the Period 10 Budget Monitoring position as at the end of January 2016.

The report noted that the budget was currently showing a favourable profiled variance of £160,291 and this was detailed in the following:

·        Employee costs

·        Premises costs

·        Transport

·        Supplies and Services

·        Building Cleaning

·        Income

It was anticipated that the outturn for the year will come in significantly under the original budget.

RESOLVED –

That the report be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION

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

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)

RESOLVED –

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 involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

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

Information on cremations for the third quarter, together with a comparison of income for the period October/December 2014 and October/December 2015 was provided. The report noted that, though a competing crematorium had opened in Swanwick in January 2015, there were only 18 fewer cremations for the period April/December 2015 than the previous year.

The report noted that due to the increase in fees there had been a good increase in income despite there being fewer cremations in 2015/16. The service would continue to make high quality improvements in order to minimise the impact of the competing crematorium.

The Bereavement Services Manager reported that the refurbishment work to the Chapel was due to take place in Summer 2016, details on the work to be done and plans to minimise disruption to the operation of the crematorium would be brought to the June meeting.

It was reported that the most recent nomination for the ICCM recycling fund donation had been given to the Macmillan Cancer Centre. It was agreed that Ashgate Hospice and Bluebell Wood Hospice would receive the funding for the next two years on a rotational basis.

The report noted that consideration was needed on the future management of the crematorium due to the trading surplus it was generating. The Bereavement Services Manager had carried out initial investigations into the possibility of developing a trading company for the crematorium. It was agreed that legal advice be obtained and a report be brought to the June meeting to outline the future options for consideration.

RESOLVED –

1.   That the report be noted.

2.   That a report be brought to the next meeting of the Chesterfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee identifying the current legal position with regard to the generation of trading surpluses and options on how the crematorium and cemeteries might be managed into the future.

3.   That a small budget to fund legal advice be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION

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