Derbyn datganiadau o ddiddordeb personol a rhagfarnol (os o gwbl) gan Aelodau / Swyddogion yn unol â darpariaethau'r Cod Ymddygiad Aelodau a fabwysiadwyd gan y Cyngor o 1 Medi 2008.

None

To receive for approval the Minutes of 11/06/2021

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the be approved as a true and accurate record.

The Clerk and Technical Officer presented a report which advised the Joint Committee on Coychurch Crematorium’s successful application for a Green Flag Award in 2021.

He explained that Crematorium has once again been successful in securing this nationally recognised award for the standards of care and maintenance of the site and grounds. The award confirmed the commitment to maintaining high standards, which can be appreciated by all visitors. He added that this was the 12^th successive year in which the Crematorium had been awarded this.

The Clerk and Technical Officer added that it was not just the Green Flag Award that was evident of the Crematorium’s high standard, but also the consistent comments that are received when the public use the facilities. He thanked the team for providing an outstanding facility and service especially in the current climate with Covid-19.

He advised that there was a small financial charge of £350 to submit the application for the Green Flag Award, but believed it to be worthwhile to show recognition of the hard work that was done with the Crematorium. He added that the award was not presented in the usual way due to Covid-19, instead it was delivered directly to Crematorium.

The Chairperson thanked the team for their hard work in maintaining the standards year on year for the 12^th consecutive year. He had recently attended the crematorium and friends from afar had commented on how outstanding the premises, staff and service was.

RESOLVED: That the Joint Committee noted the report

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar presented a report which asked the joint committee to provide nominations and approval of organisations to receive charitable funding from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM) scheme for the recovery of metals arising from cremations and to update the Joint Committee on charity donations made by Coychurch Crematorium.

She explained that Coychurch Crematorium participated in a national scheme for the Recycling of Metals, which were derived from the cremation process. Any surplus monies after deduction of costs from the sale of metals were distributed to charities associated with bereavement services, via the ICCM. A list of previously supported charities by the Joint Committee were at 3.2 of the report.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar explained that at the meeting on 22nd June 2018 the Joint Committee agreed to consider a list of organisations that it wished to support in order to achieve a proactive and efficient approach to nominating funding for local charities and to rotate these on a cyclical basis. In order to ensure that a wide range of local charities receive funding, an updated list of organisations was provided for consideration, these were detailed a 4.2 of the report. These charities had approached the Crematorium for funding. Only one charity could be nominated each time.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar noted that an additional proposal was put forward by Councillor J Spanswick if the organisation ‘Follow Your Dreams’ could be considered. However, due to unforeseen restructure within that organisation, he asked that this be withdrawn for the time being and be replaced with ‘Bridgend Carers Centre’

A Member stated that he had visit many cemeteries recently and noticed that there were a large number of graves and headstones that were in poor condition, largely due to the time in which they had been there. He suggested the charity ‘Caring For Gods Acre’, which were a group that cared for churchyards and burial grounds. He believed that cemeteries were a place for remembrance and therefore maintenance was important.

RESOLVED: That the Joint Committee:

• Noted the charitable donations made by Coychurch Crematorium

• Nominated and supported the list of suitable charities, for submission for funding from the National Recycling of Metals Scheme.

The Finance Manager – Financial Control and Closing presented a report which detailed the income and expenditure for the first quarter of the 2021-22 financial year, and gave a projection of the final outturn. It also asked the Joint Committee for approval to submit an amended Annual Accounting Statement to Audit Wales.

The Finance Manager – Financial Control and Closing explained that the 2021-22 Revenue Budget was approved by the Joint Committee at its meeting on 5 March 2021. The current budget position and projected outturn for 2021-22 was at paragraph 4.1.

She added that the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2018 required that the Joint Committee must formally approve the Annual Accounting Statement by 31 May 2021 and certify that they present fairly the financial position of Coychurch Crematorium. Due to the Page 17 Agenda Item 6 ongoing Coronavirus pandemic a notice was issued advising that the return would not be approved by 31 May 2021 but would be so as soon as possible after this date, in accordance to Regulation 10 of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2018.

She alerted Members to Table one of the report which highlighted the income and expenditure for the period April to June 2021, together with the projected outturn for the financial year.

The Finance Manager – Financial Control and Closing outlined key areas of the outturn report which included various overspend and underspends. Table Two highlighted the breakdown of the Capital Financing budget for 2021-22, along with the expenditure for the period April to June 2021 and projected outturn for the financial year. The Capital Financing spend is projected to be on budget at £845,000.

The Finance Manager – Financial Control and Closing explained that the Annual Return for 2020-21 (attached at Appendix 1) was submitted to Audit Wales at the end of June 2021, showing a surplus of £845,000 for the year, and an accumulated balance of £2,899,000.

Due to an error in the 2019-2020 balance carried over, which showed a figure of £2,0523,652 instead of £2,053,652, the Joint Committee was required to approve and re-sign the return, this was attached at Appendix 2 of the report.

RESOLVED: That the Joint Committee:

• Noted the quarter 1 Budget Monitoring Statement for 2021-22

• Approved and sign the revised Annual Accounting Statement for 2020-21

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 Chairperson asked for confirmation if there was a Christmas service this year, as the item was not on the agenda as it normally would have been. The Clerk and Technical Officer commented that originally it was not scheduled to go ahead due to the Pandemic, however in recent talks with officers since the reports for this Joint Committee meeting had been submitted, procedures had been agreed to facilitate the provision of the annual service of remembrance in a manner that was in keeping with Covid-19 risk assessments.