Agenda and minutes

The Chair to note any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Aziz and Kilbride.

At this point, the Chair advised that Simon Hollowell from Hollowells Funeral Services had accepted the offer to be a co optee to the Panel.

The Chair to note public address requests.

The public can speak on any agenda item for a maximum of three minutes per speaker per item.  You are not required to register your intention to speak in advance but should arrive at the meeting a few minutes early, complete a Public Address Protocol and notify the Scrutiny Officer of your intention to speak.

There were none.

Members to state any interests.

Councillor Dennis Meredith declared an interest in this Scrutiny Review as he owns a plot in Kingsthorpe Cemetery.  The declaration is for the life of this Scrutiny Review.

The Scrutiny Panel to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2017.

The Chair signed the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2017 as a true and accurate record.

 The Scrutiny Panel to receive a presentation that sets the scene, including:

Maintenance and health and safety requirements,

amenities and facilities,

financial implications,

Mick Tyrrell presented a comprehensive document to the Scrutiny Panel on various elements regarding cemeteries within the scope of the Review.  Mick Tyrrell elaborated upon the information contained within the document.

The Scrutiny Panel made comment, asked questions and heard:

·         Duston cemetery was extended in 2016, providing an additional 800 burial spaces.

·         The physical maintenance of the roads is the responsibility of Asset Management; Environmental Services funds some of this works.

·         The Panel noted that some people plant extra plants, trees and put monuments outside the burial plot which can create problems, there is a need for there to be stricter adherence to the Policy. The Panel asked to have sight of this Policy, along with the fees and guidance.

·         There have been some maintenance issues with cemeteries but it was highlighted that it is the owner’s responsibility to maintain the grave.  Unless there is something dangerous on the grave, the Council cannot maintain the plot.

·         People have rights to the burial plots for 99 years.

·         There are two cemeteries in the borough with chapels

·         Currently funerals do not take place in Northampton on Sundays; there is a limited service on Saturday in exceptional circumstances.

·         In answer to a query, Mick Tyrrell advised that permission has to be sought for someone to be buried in the garden of a house. You cannot bury someone on an allotment

The Scrutiny Panel to agree the list of core questions to be put to expert advisors.

The Scrutiny Panel considered the draft core questions and agreed, that the core questions, as amended, are sent to the expert advisors to provide a response.

AGREED:      The core questions, as attached, are sent to the expert advisors to provide a response at future scheduled meetings.

The Scrutiny Panel to discuss potential site visits that it would undertake as part of the evidence gathering for this Review.

The Scrutiny Panel agreed that it would undertake site visits to various cemeteries:

·         Kettering Cemetery

·         Kingsthorpe Cemetery

·         Duston Cemetery and

·         Towcester Road Cemetery

The Scrutiny Officer would liaise with the Chair regarding a suitable date for the visits to take place in August 2017.  The Panel would then be notified of the date, to ascertain which Councillors are able to attend, along with the Chair. The Contracts Manager and the Scrutiny Officer would also attend.

The Scrutiny Panel to approve the Community Impact Assessment (CIA) for this Review.

The Community Impact Assessment (CIA) was approved and would be published on the Scrutiny page of the Council’s WebPage.