To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons where appropriate) from

Members/Officers

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members for the reasons so stated:

The Chairperson referred to the sad death of Councillor K J Geary, all present stood in silence as a mark of respect.  

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1st September 2009.

None

To receive for approval the Minutes of the meeting of the Coychurch Crematorium Joint Committee held on the 5 December 2014.

RESOLVED:            That the minutes of the Coychurch Crematorium Joint Committee of 5 December 2014 were approved as a true and accurate record.

The Finance Manager Technical and Corporate reported on the projected financial performance             for the Crematorium for 2014-15 and sought approval for the proposed budget and fees and        charges for 2015-16.  She provided an explanation of the variances between budget and         projected outturn as at 31 January 2015, which was projected to produce a surplus of £112k. 

            The Finance Manager Technical and Corporate reported that the Joint Committee had     considered proposals to strengthen the staffing structure at the Crematorium and Burials         Service to mitigate against the impact of significant cuts to public sector spending by forging          closer working relationships between the two areas.  She outlined a proposed budget for 2015-     16 based on whether the existing structure remained in force (Option A) and on the basis of the      staff restructure (Option B) approved earlier in this meeting. 

            The Finance Manager Technical and Corporate outlined the spending requirement of £953k         identified in the Business Plan.  She stated that income budgets had been prepared assuming a          general increase in fees of 2% (1% average CPI plus 1%), which had also been realigned to    reflect current levels of activity based on the number of cremations, which excluded the one off   income built into the budget in respect of increased activity during the period Margam      Crematorium was not fully operational.  The decrease in income had been partially mitigated as     the fee for weekday cremations had been to £615, which had resulted in a £65k decrease in the              fees and charges budget. 

            The Finance Manager Technical and Corporate reported that an accumulated balance of             £1,131m was projected, which had been built up over a number of years to meet the planned          costs of replacing the cremators, which would now be used to fund installation of the new            cremators during 2015-16.

            In response to a question from the Joint Committee, the Crematorium Manager and Registrar      stated that she was not fully aware of the costs of cremations to be charged by other crematoria       as yet but it was anticipated that other crematoria would have similar increases in cost of     cremations.  The Crematorium Manager and Registrar also informed the Joint Committee that           clientele gained during the closure of Margam Crematorium had been lost since its re-opening.  

            RESOLVED:               That the Joint Committee:

                                                (1)        Approved the revenue budget for 2015/16 in line with the                                                     restructure of the service.

                                                (2)        Approved the increase in fees and charges with effect from 1 April                                                 2015.

The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported on the proposed Programme of Meetings for 2015/16:

            Friday, 12 June 2015 - Annual General Meeting

            Friday, 18 September 2015   

            Friday, 4 December 2015

            Friday, 4 March 2016

            RESOLVED:               That the Joint Committee approved the Programme of Meetings for                                               2015/16.

The Crematorium Manager and Registrar sought approval of the Business Plan and         expenditure programme for 2015/16 which included proposed increases in crematorium fees. 

            The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported on the total number of cremations for 2014     was 1651, made up of 965 from Bridgend, 194 from Vale of Glamorgan and 342 from Rhondda       Cynon Taff, with 150 non-residents. 

            She also reported on the proposed Service Level Business Plan for 2015/16 which outlined the    service objectives for the period.  The replacement of the cremators had been delayed until          2015/16 to allow the accumulation of operational surpluses necessary to cover the cost of this   project which had been achieved. 

            The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported that the current cremation charge  places       the Crematorium at 221 out of 271 cremation authorities in a national fee league table             published in summer 2014.  In accordance with the funding strategy included in previous            Business Plans, it was recommended that the cremation charge be increased from £580.00 (by    inflation + £25) to £615.00.  This would ensure that sufficient funding was available to support     the future programme of improvements works but still retain the Crematorium’s competitive    position.  The Crematorium Manager and Registrar highlighted a table which showed a          comparison on current cremation fees for adjoining crematoria. 

            RESOLVED:               That the Joint Committee:

                                                (1)        Approved the Service Level Business Plan 2015, and

                                                (2)        Confirmed the cremation fee for 2015/16 at £615.00.

The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported on the recent Internal Audit of the        administration processes within the Crematorium.  The objective of the Audit was to provide assurance that satisfactory internal controls are operating at the Crematorium.

            The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported that the audit had identified a number of          strengths and areas of good practice due to the Crematorium’s good performance and based          on an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the areas examined, the Audit            concluded that the effectiveness of the internal control environment was considered to be     sound and substantial assurance could be placed upon the management of risks.  This overall    opinion was supported by the identification of a well-controlled system and no             recommendations were made for enhanced control or improved value for money.    

            The Chairperson, on behalf of the Joint Committee, thanked the Officers of the Crematorium on             an excellent audit. 

            RESOLVED:               That the Joint Committee noted the report.   

The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported on the progress of the cremator replacement             programme and sought approval to appoint a manufacturer to install and maintain through a     maintenance agreement the new cremators and mercury abatement plant. 

            The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported that the Joint Committee at its meeting on 5   December 2014 approved the appointment of an external consultant to oversee the preparation         of specifications / tender documentation and the selection of a suitable manufacturer to install          the new cremators and mercury abatement equipment and to undertake future repairs and   maintenance of the plant.  Stopher Associates limited were appointed as the external consultant     and tender documentation prepared accordingly. 

            The Crematorium Manager and Registrar reported that Tender invitations for the works had         been issued and tenders will be received and evaluated in March/April 2015.  She stated that    the cost of the new cremators, mercury abatement plant and associated equipment was          estimated to be £900K inclusive of fees, which could be accommodated from the accumulated         balance of £1,131,000 built up over a number of years to meet the planned costs of replacing           the plant.  The Crematorium Manager and Registrar informed the Joint Committee that the     procurement exercise would be undertaken in accordance with Bridgend County Borough             Council’s Contract and Financial Procedures Rules.  Subject to the contract value not       exceeding the estimated value of the works (900k) by more than 10%, authorisation was sought from the Joint Committee, to award the contract and appoint as the contractor the most   economically advantageous tender in accordance with the tender selection and evaluation    exercise, to undertake the installation and future maintenance of the new cremators and             associated plant and equipment.

            RESOLVED:               That the Joint Committee:

                                                (1)        Noted the progress on the works to the new cremator building                                             extension.

                                                (2)        Authorised the appointment of a contractor to undertake the                                                installation and annual maintenance of the new cremators and                                                        associated plant within the financial parameters described.

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 4 of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

The report relating to the following item is not for publication as it contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 of Part 4 and/or Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007.

If following the application of the public interest test the Committee resolves pursuant to the Public Document Pack Act to consider this item in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration

RESOLVED:            That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as       amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation)(Wales) Order 2007 that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item as the report contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12  and 15 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

                                                                                                                                                Following the application of the public interest test it was resolved that pursuant to the Act referred to above to consider the exempt report in private with the public excluded from the meeting as it would involve the disclosure of exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) by virtue of Paragraphs 12 and 15 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Act.