The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar for Coychurch Crematorium presented the report the purpose of which was to approve the Crematorium Business Plan and Fees Report for 2023-2024.

She mentioned that the Business plan is presented to the Joint Committee for approval as it sets out service objectives and proposed maintenance and improvement projects for the forthcoming financial year. The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar for Coychurch Crematorium made reference to Appendix 1 which was the Service Level Business Plan and drew the committee’s attention to the Green Flag award won by the Crematorium again in 2022 and the fact that the Service remains financially self-sufficient. She also mentioned the staffing structure, details of the business hours and types of memorialisation offered. She drew reference to the contents of the report mentioning the different ways the Crematorium markets itself and communicates with its service users and also referred to the different ways in which the crematorium remains environmentally sustainable.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar for Coychurch Crematorium listed the key achievements over the last 10 years particularly that of the installation of external lighting in 2021 and the renewal of the two chapels’ digital music facility including the installation of the visual tribute screens. She mentioned the structural building work which commenced in 2022 and ongoing to the extension of the flower court and main chapel exit.

She drew the committee’s attention to the performance indicators relating to the previous 5 years the results of which were derived from the service questionnaires, the existing targets of service level satisfaction to be extended to the years 2023-2024.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar for Coychurch Crematorium referenced point 4 of the Clerk and Technical officer’s report which detailed the annual statistics which she took the committee through. She related the figures in 2020 to the pandemic and stated that the 2022 figures were settling to the pre-pandemic level. She then proceeded to take the committee through the subsections under point 4 which detailed the current situation and proposals.

The Head of Operations- Community Services re-iterated, in reference to paragraph 4.4 that what appeared as an increase of the fee for the hire of the chapel for a memorial service from £82 to £220 was not an actual increase but an anomaly in the original fee stated.

A discussion between a member, the Bereavement Services Manager / Registrar of Coychurch Crematorium and the Head of Operations – Community Services took place in relation to rationale and matching of CPI.

It was explained that fees had been aligned with the overall increase in prices throughout BCBC. The crematorium utilises high levels of energy and the prices are reflective of the national increase in energy and other goods and services utilised in its standard operations. They stated that the increase was made in order that services continue to be maintained at a high standard in line with its reputation.  

The chairperson and a member commended the Bereavement Services Manager on the content and presentation of the report and progress made.

RESOLVED                :   The Joint Committee agreed to  

                                        approve the Service Level Business Plan 2023-24.

                                        The Joint Committee agreed to           

                                        approve the cremation fee for 2023-24 at £824.00

                                        and a general increase in all fees of 10.5%.

                                        The Joint Committee agreed to

                                        approve the fee for hiring the crematorium chapel

                                        for a thirty-minute memorial service at £220.00 for

                                        2023-24, which would double on Saturdays.