Apologies were received from Councillor Davis and S. Hearse – Treasurer.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9^th August 2019 (previously circulated) be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman referred to the recent article in the ND Gazette regarding the works to improving the paths disturbing memorials. The Crematorium Manager stated that no memorials were disturbed during the works.

There were no declarations of interest declared

Report by the Crematorium Manager (attached).

The Joint Committee considered a report by the Crematorium Manager (previously circulated).

i)          Update from last meeting

Planning for Replacement Cremation Equipment

The Crematorium Manager reported that the life expectancy of the existing

Cremation equipment had been revised by the manufacturer to be approximately 20 years, a further 12 years from now. Parts of the system may need replacing earlier, some later. The cost today would be about £750,000 to replace them completely with equivalent equipment. Allowing for a 3% annual rate of inflation, the total cost would be about £1,100,000 in 2031. At the current rate the fund would build a reserve for replacement of £1,600,000 in 12 years (existing £400,000 plus 12 years of £100,000 per year). This supported a reduction in the rate at which funds were being added to the equipment reserve.

On the presumption of the same technology like for like’ replacement there were two options:

·         1. Reduce the amount added to reserve to £60,000 per year (reaching £1,120,000 in 2031).

·         2. Reduce the amount added to reserve to £80,000 per year – allowing for major cremator re-brick costs to be automatically funded from the reserve.

He further reported one cremator was due to be re-lined this year and the other next year. £40,000 had been identified for each cremator to be re-lined. He had however been advised that for an additional £20,000 per cremator they could be re-lined with new technology which would give a longer life expectancy and be more cost effective in the long term. This would however give a budget short fall in this year of £20,000 and require additional funding of £20,000 in next year’s budget.

RESOLVED:

(A)       that option 2 be adopted as this would allow a high degree of certainty             around major maintenance expenditure and reduce the variance in surpluses year on year.

(B)       that the cremators be re-lined with the new technology and the        additional £20,000 in this year’s budget be approved.

ii)         Solar Panels

It was noted that costs were still being investigated

iii)        Achievements

It was noted that

·         The annual internal audit of the crematorium conducted by Mazars Risk and Assurance Services had identified no concerns and no issues to be addressed.

The Committee congratulated the staff for their hard work in achieving a full assurance audit report.

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·         The cremator computers had been replaced (aged 8 years) and re-housed in a better bespoke housing.

·         The Music system remote control extenders had been installed in the Rowan and Aspen Chapels allowing the chapel attendant to operate the system from anywhere surrounding the chapels.

·         Additional music system remotes had been installed in each chapel, allowing the minister/officiant to control the music from the lectern.

·         Williamson bed (a rhododendron bed in Authors) had been cleared, re-edged and re-planted after consultation with the memorial owners. The recycled plastic edging was a long-term solution to replace the short-lived softwood edging widely used on-site.

·         The close-down of the Phillips memorial building had been completed with the Phillips family ashes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

Report by the Treasurer (attached).

The Joint Committee considered and noted a report by the Treasurer (previously circulated) regarding the performance for Quarter 2 April to September 2019/20.

It was agreed that when the outturn figures were available to consider whether to reduce the contribution to the Equipment Replacement Reserve to £80,000 in 2019/20 or to reduce the contribution from 2020/21.

RECOMMENDED:

(a)       That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended from time to time) namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information).

(b)       That all documents and reports relating to the item be confirmed as ‘Not for Publication’

RESOLVED:

(a)       That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended from time to time) namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information).

(b)       That all documents and reports relating to the item be confirmed as ‘Not for Publication’.

Report by the Crematorium Manager (attached).

The Joint Committee considered a report by the Crematorium Manager (previously circulated) regarding future development opportunities.

RESOLVED:

a)That in principle the proposal outlined therein be approved and the Crematorium Manager be authorised to prepare a detailed business plan for future consideration.

b)That Phase B project, demolishing the garage/memorial hall and rebuilding storage, be delayed until 2020/21.