CC October 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
Minutes of the Cemetery Committee held in the meeting room on Thursday 17 October 2019 at 7.00pm.
Present: Councillors Boreham, Halls, Shinkins-Hoppe, Stevens and Thomas.
The Minutes were taken by the Parish Clerk.
25.20 To receive apologies for absence.
None received.
26.20 To receive declarations of interest, if any.
None received.
27.20 To agree and approve the minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 12 September 2019.
Agreed and signed.
28.20 To receive the Clerks report.
A relative, not living locally, has recently visited the old Cemetery and whilst happy with the overall standard of grounds maintenance was distressed to find that a tree had grown close to the grave of their Grandmother who was buried in 1921 causing damage to the kerb edgings and headstone. The Maintenance staff will cut back the tree tidy the burial plot and reset the kerb edgings. The Clerk advised that the committee members that the Maintenance staff had tidied the burial plot and reset the kerb edgings as well as possible plus reported that they did not feel the tree could be removed without further damaging the memorial or burial plot. This information has been passed on to the relative who has requested that if the tree cannot be removed the headstone should be moved forward. The Clerk was asked to check the records to see if an exclusive right of burial grant had been issued for this burial plot and if so what its duration was then prepare an appropriate response dependent on the findings. The grounds maintenance contractors have informed the Clerk that someone has used what looks like weed killer round a headstone in the new Cemetery leaving the area not looking its best. The Clerk will look at the burial plot and decide if the exclusive right of burial holder should be contacted. The committee members agreed that a rule stating no weed killer should be used in the Cemetery should be added to the Cemetery regulations.
Due to the expense involved a resident of the Parish has visited the office asking if they can arrange for a parish council member of staff or someone they know to inter the ashes of a relative in an existing grave rather than use the Funeral Directors. The Clerk has advised that has never previously been carried out by anyone employed by the Parish Council or by a family member as the occupation of Grave Digger/Cemetery Operative requires training and a qualification (the Institute of Cemetery and Crematoria Management is a City and Guilds NPTC that delivers and certificates grave digging/Cemetery Operatives courses to this nationally recognised standard). The committee members noted this as something that could be considered when a Cemetery Keeper is recruited.
30.20 To discuss the wording of the person specification and job description for a Cemetery Keeper.
Using a Cemetery Keeper job description form a neighbouring Council the committee offered deletions, amendments and additions to the document reinforcing risk assessment, health and safety, the need to follow DSJPC procedures and for the individual to be proactive flexible undertake training and take pride in the role. The Clerk was asked to produce a draft job description which would be referred to the staffing sub-committee to finalise the wording advertising interviewing (with representation on the interview panel from an individual of the Cemetery committee) and recruiting.
31.20 To agree the date of the next meeting – 7.45pm on Thursday 23 January 2020