PAPER D

 

 

 

Committee :    FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE

 

Date :              19th AUGUST 2002

 

Title :              BEREAVEMENT SERVICES TASK GROUP

 

REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TASK GROUP

                         

_________________________________________________________________________

 

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

 

To report to the Select Committee the findings of the Bereavement Services Task Group.

 

On the 4 of April 2002 the Bereavement Services Task group had its first meeting. At the meeting Councilor Muriel Miller was elected to be Chairperson. To this date the Task Group has had several meetings and from this other factors have come to the fore. The purpose of the Task Group was to investigate and make recommendations to the Select Committee. These investigations and recommendations would include:-

 

  1. The use of public and private land for burials.

 

  2. The future funding of Bereavement Services.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Task Group members agreed that adequate provision of burial should be a priority and that the Council should develop land adjacent to East Cowes Cemetery for burial purposes. At the current rate of burials this could extend the cemetery life by approximately 30 years when the infrastructure is in place ie drains, paths etc. By extending the life of this cemetery it would be a help to the Council and also the community. If given priority now the Council could save thousands of pounds in the future. Works on other cemeteries are mostly works for the purposes of Health and Safety. These works include pathway repairs, building repairs, tree work and memorial safety.

 

Work planned for Binstead cemetery of dangerous pathway to make room for grave spaces. Binstead cemetery covers burials in the Ryde area, although Ryde has its own cemetery it is full. This means there are no new burials taking place there, only re-openers. As Ryde is full possible works could be undertaken to extend the cemetery and there could be at least 30 new graves added. Although this does not look a great amount this could open the cemetery for another possible 4 years.

 

One of the main concerns is the safety of monuments in the cemeteries. Bereavement Services has in conjunction with Zurich Municipal Insurance started to carry out risk assessments on the approximately 24,000 memorials and gravestones. Monuments and gravestones are assessed for safety and then are given periodical checks thereafter. Newport cemetery has been completed and the next cemeteries to be inspected are East Cowes and Ryde. In the first stages of risk assessments there were a few objections from the public and Funeral Directors. These objections have now ceased.

 

Members of the Task Group discussed in great detail the issue of closed church yards. Members read the Home Office guidelines concerning maintenance of old burial grounds. The guidelines suggest that when there is no room in the church yard for new graves it can be closed. The responsibility for maintenance then falls to the Isle of Wight Council as Bereavement Services Authority, this is done by means of granting an Order in Council. Orders in Council are made under section 1 of the Burial Act 1953

 

Isle of Wight Council currently spends around £31,000 pounds per annum on maintaining 11 closed church yards. Task Group members concluded that the potential for the Isle of Wight Council to incur a considerable increase in maintenance expenditure should be recognized. If further Orders in Council were to be granted then the cost to the Council per annum could increase. The Task Group recognised that it could be financially expedient for the Isle of Wight Council to continue graveyard maintenance grants. A one off payment could be another way of saving expenditure in the long term. This payment could be made to the church to extend land for burial and increase the life of the church yard. This would then release the Council of its obligations to maintain the grounds. The Task Group met with a representative of Gatcombe Parochial Church Council to discuss a possible churchyard extension.

 

The Bereavement Services Task Group has viewed with interest the development of the Friends of Ryde Cemetery, and felt that it was an initiative that could be repeated elsewhere.

 

FUNDING FOR BEREAVEMENT SERVICES.

 

The current system of funding Bereavement Services is broadly the charges to the users fund the service. With this system of funding the Bereavement Services pays for the crematorium, cemeteries and church yards. Other councils subsidise the Bereavement Services through the Council Tax.

 

New memorial schemes and possibly a woodland burial cemetery could generate more income. The Isle of Wight Council Bereavement Services is the twelfth highest in the U.K. for charges for cremation.

 

There is at this present time no substantive contingency fund set aside for the replacement of new cremator machines. The ones in use at the crematorium were installed in 1997 and they have a life span of fifteen years. The cost needed to replace these machines is estimated at £750.000 plus. Also something that is likely to be needed is new emissions analyser equipment, at an estimated cost of £150,000.

 

CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM REGULATIONS.

 

Cemetery and Crematorium regulations were reviewed and the Task Group felt that the opening times at weekends and Bank holidays should be extended for a trial period of six months. Limited funds would need to be found to provide extra cover. If this was to be a permanent arrangement then the regulations would have to be amended.

 

Also discussed was the issue of making the need to insure memorials compulsory. This would eliminate the problem of the authority being held responsible for any accidents related to memorials. The insurance covers this possibility and the grave owner would then be responsible to update the premium. If cover has not been renewed then the Council could reserve the right to remove the monument.

 

The regulations would have to be changed to accommodate this.

 

BEST VALUE

 

The Best Value improvement plan was discussed by members and they were reassured that actions were being progressed satisfactorily.

 

OPTIONS

 

1.        A scheme could be developed and costed to extend East Cowes cemetery for a minimum period of 30 years.

 

2         On the basis of financial prudence and as a “one off“ Grant aid be sought for Gatcombe parochial church council to enable a cemetery extension to be built on the understanding that closed church yard status will not be sought. A sum of £6000 was discussed at then Task Group meeting.

 

3.        No funds to be allocated for new island cemeteries.

 

4.        Suitable budget should be provided at an estimated cost of up to £10,000 to allow continuation of grants for church yard maintenance.

 

5.        That the Council establishes whether or not Bereavement Services should aim to operate on a budget neutral basis as a matter of policy.

 

6.        That a contingency fund be formalised for cremator renewal, and that annual payment be made to it.

 

7.        That extended opening hours be introduced at weekends at the crematorium as a six month pilot.

 

8.        That Cemetery and Crematorium regulations be formally amended if the hours become permanent. Also to include compulsory insurance cover for monuments.

 

Other recommendations can be added if the Select Committee believes it to be appropriate.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.

 

Income

 

RECOMMENDATIONS.

 

Options 1 to 8 be agreed and recommended to the Executive.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS.

 

Minutes of Task Group meetings; Crematorium and Cemetery regulations; Bereavement Services Best Value Review; Bereavement Services Budget; Home office guidelines - closed church yards.

 

contact Point- Malcolm Houghton 882288.

 

 

 

COUNCILLOR MURIEL MILLER

Chairman of the Bereavement Services Task Group.