CEMETERY COMMITTEE MEETING

MONDAY 26TH JANUARY 2009

Present :   Cllr R. Mills (Chair), Cllr J. Godwin, Cllr C. Lofts, Cllr A. Maycock,

                Cllr A. Wardle, Cllr H. Wright

 

1.    Apologies for Absence

Cllr C. Stanger

 

2.    Declarations of Interest

None.

 

3.    Open to the Public

No members of the public were present.

 

4.    Cemetery Chapel

       Plans for Refurbishment Works

 

Details of the criteria for obtaining a public works loan were forwarded to members prior to the meeting. The Clerk confirmed the minimum loan amount of £35,000. The Clerk has sought verification from the surveyor, Paul Brown Associates, on which works need to be carried out urgently. Accordingly, the surveyor has prepared a report of the works necessary to prevent further water entry and keep the building stable until the main underpinning works are undertaken. The cost will be approximately £8,400 including the administration fees of 10%. The Clerk confirmed the total budget of £12,000 from the 2008/09 and 2009/10 financial years for works to the chapel. Cllr Godwin advised that there is sufficient in the budget to meet the first year repayments of a public works loan of £50,000 and considered it would be more beneficial to have the entire works carried out as soon as possible. The Clerk confirmed that the committee would need to decide the exact works, internal and external, for the surveyor to prepare the tender document. The committee agreed the importance of establishing future uses for the chapel once it has been restored and made a number of suggestions. Cllr Lofts suggested the remedial works could be commenced whilst the tender document and application for the public works loan are being prepared. The committee agreed to carry out a site meeting, looking at the interior and exterior of the chapel, to decide on the works to be completed.

 

Proposal

Cllr Godwin proposed that Paul Brown Associates be instructed to prepare the tender for the entire refurbishment works for the Cemetery Chapel and the Clerk will arrange a site meeting of the committee;

seconded by Cllr Wardle, all in favour.

 

5.    Cemetery Lodge

       Maintenance Works

 

The Clerk confirmed that the works previously agreed by the committee have been completed. A small amount of damp has continued to appear in one of the rooms and the Clerk has agreed for some additional lead work to be carried out to resolve this problem. The tenants will be undertaking some internal redecoration work themselves.

 

6.    Memorial Safety

The Clerk confirmed the 1 st phase of memorial repairs have been completed by the stonemason.

An invoice for £800.00 to refix the 28 kerb memorials and 7 headstones has been submitted by L. P. Finn Memorials for payment. Cllr Mills confirmed he had visited the Cemetery recently and noted that a number of memorials in the 1st phase had not been repaired. It was agreed that Cllr Mills would contact the stonemason direct with respect to these.

 

7.    Site for New Cemetery / Allotments

The Clerk referred to discussions that took place during the Persimmon / Bloor Homes consultations on the expansion of Towcester, with respect to a new site for a cemetery / allotments. The TC was not happy with the area allocated in the plans and the Clerk stressed the importance of revisiting this issue to establish potential sites. Cllr Godwin has been speaking with the Hesketh Estate to establish sites in the town that remain in its ownership and he distributed a map indicating these areas. Cllr Lofts advised that with the Persimmon / Bloor Homes application slowly moving again, the TC must ensure that its preferred site is incorporated into the SNC Masterplan. The Clerk agreed to forward details of sites that have previously been investigated to all committee members. She will raise this issue with Andy D'Arcy of SNC who is involved in the preparation of the Masterplan.

 

8.    Budget Update

The Clerk distributed copies of the budget update report, detailing the following items:-

 

Fees                  Budget £5,665                Actual to 31/12/2008 £5,687

- The Clerk confirmed an increase in income from fees due to the pre-purchase of burial plots

Grave Digging     Budget £3,306                Actual to 31/12/2008 £2,280

– The projected expenditure for grave digging is below budget.

Cemetery

Maintenance       Budget £9,052                Actual to 31/12/2008 £9,220

The budget for cemetery maintenance has been exceeded as a result of 2 additional cuts

Cemetery Lodge Repairs

& Maintenanc      Budget £2,500                Actual to 31/12/2008 £125

The Clerk is awaiting a number of invoices for settlement.

Fuel                    Budget £320                  Actual to 31/12/2008 £520

The budget for fuel has been exceeded as a result of 2 additional cuts and increased fuel prices.

Tree Surgery        Budget £1,500               Actual to 31/12/2008 £0

The Clerk has arranged a site meeting with the tree surgeon to establish the works needed at the Cemetery.

Railings

Maintenance        Budget £500                  Actual to 31/12/2008 £0

Works to repaint the cemetery railings are scheduled for the spring.

Memorial Stone

Repairs                Budget £3,000               Actual to 31/12/2008 £800

 

Cllr Wardle reported items of tree surgery outstanding on the Malthouse Court allotments.