CC 2019 Minutes

Deeping St James Parish Council

The Institute, 38 Church Street, Deeping St James, Peterborough PE6 8HD

e-mail: clerk.dsjpc@btconnect.com

Tel: 01778 343266

Webpage: parishes.lincolnshire.gov.uk/deepingstjames

Parish Clerk: Julie Fortnum

The minutes of the Cemetery Committee meeting held on Thursday 12 September 2019 at 7.45pm.

Present: Councillors Boreham, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens and Thomas

13.20 To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies had been received and were accepted from Councillor Halls.

14.20 To receive declarations of interest, if any.

None declared.

15.20 To agree and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 13 June 2019.

Agreed and signed.

16.20 To receive the Clerks report.

The Probation Service community payback team (2 Supervisors and 1 Probation worker) worked in the Cemetery on Tuesday 13 September 2019. Demand for the service and also problems with numbers (especially on a Tuesday) have meant that they will only be visiting the parish monthly for the foreseeable future. The next visit is Tuesday 17 September 2019.

Youngsters from the National Citizen Service worked in section C of the Cemetery cleaning the Headstones on Thursday 15 August 2019

The contractor (recommended by South Kesteven District Council) who repairs the headstones they are responsible for has been in contact and advised that when he is next in this area, he will arrange to meet the Clerk to visit he Cemetery and provide a quote for the repairs needed

A resident has contacted the office requesting work is carried out to a tree in the Cemetery which is on their boundary and Councillor Blessett has visited the resident and will provide a report to Council. This tree is protected by a tree preservation order so if it is agreed that work is required planning permission will need to be obtained from the planning Authority (SKDC). It was acknowledged that this resident contacting the Parish Council about this tree had raised awareness of the need to be proactive towards tree management. Councillor Thomas mentioned that it may be beneficial for the Parish Council to organise a community working party to complete some work in the Cemetery.

17.20 To receive an updated report on the number of interments and reservations.

Interments and reservations since 20 June 2019

Interment in grave plots 1

Interments in cremated remains plots 1

Reservations of grave plots 0

Reservations of cremated remains plots 0

These figures were noted and it was agreed that an up to date assessment of how long the current burial space will last should be undertaken in the Spring of 2020.

18.20 To review the Cemetery procedures, regulations and fees.

In light of the advice provided by the Society of Local Council Clerks relating to the Social Fund (Children’s Funeral Fund for England) Regulations 2019 No. 1064 also know as the CFF it was agreed that item C of the Burial and Memorial Fees list needed to be amended to read ‘Stillborn babies, babies and children under 18 years will incur not charge’. It should be noted that the Parish Council can recover the following fees from the CFF if it wishes to do so:

The cost of a burial plot (for a body or cremated remains and the reasonable cost of an exclusive right of burial, where required, in appropriate to the size of the plot,

The fee for carrying out the burial of a body or cremated remains,

The maintenance costs of the grave, where there is a condition of the right of burial until the child, if alive, would have reached the age of 18,

The fee for any renewal of the right of burial if it expires before the time when the child would have reached 18,

The fee to for permission to erect a memorial, including a headstone, but not the price of any memorial.

It was also agreed that ‘student in the parish’ should be included in point d. of the burial and memorial fees.

The Parish Clerk was requested to obtain the fees of neighbouring Councils prior to consideration being given to increasing the fees charged by Deeping St James Parish Council.

19.20 To consider whether to employ a member of staff or use a contractor to complete the grounds maintenance of the Cemetery from 2020 onwards.

After discussion which included consideration of the service provided by contractors, the reduction in the availability of visits from the Probation Service community payback team and the aspirations of the council to improve the appearance of the Cemetery it was agreed to recommend to the Council that a budget should be agreed and a job description/persons specification being compiled to employ an additional member of part-time staff (Cemetery Keeper) from April 2020.

21.20 To receive a report of the position to date and expected outturn for the financial year 2019/20.

Income

Expenditure

22.20 To consider budget estimates for 2020/21 and make recommendations to the Finance and general purposes committee.

It was agreed to recommend to the finance and general purposes committee that the income budget should remain the same next year.

Income

Item Budget

Burial Fees - £2000.00

Memorial Fees - £500.00

Total - £2500.00

Assuming the recommendation from minute 19.20 is resolved by the Council it was agreed to recommend to the finance and general purposes committee that the grounds maintenance contract budget should be changed to grounds maintenance improvements and the budget in respect of the new member of staff should be included within the staffing costs budget.

Expenditure

Item Budget

Grounds maintenance improvements - £2000.00

Miscellaneous repairs - £600.00

Water Rates - £100.00

New Cemetery land reserves - £1000.00

Total - £3700.00

23.20 To review the terms of reference and delegated powers of this committee as written in the Parish Council’s Standing Orders deferred from the previous meeting.

It was agreed to defer this item until the next meeting.

24.20 To agree the date of the next meeting – 7pm on Thursday 17 October 2019.