The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar presented a report,

the purpose of which, was to approve the Business Plan and

expenditure programme for 2019/20, which includes proposed increases in cremation fees.

By way of background information, she confirmed that a Business Plan is presented annually to the Joint Committee for approval, which includes

service objectives and proposed maintenance and improvement projects to enhance and maintain the Crematorium grounds and buildings for the forthcoming financial year.

She then referred to the Business Plan, which commenced on Page 19 of the report, where Members will see Awards and Achievements noted (on Page 22), and of particular note, the achievement of the Green Flag

award once more in 2018, as well as further noting, that the service remained financially self-sufficient.

The report then detailed the staffing structure and the business hours; the types of memorialisation provided, the different ways that the Crematorium marketed itself and communicates with its service users and finally, the different ways that the Crematorium remains environmentally sustainable.

On Page 25 of the report, the Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar highlighted the key achievements over the past 10 years so listed there, with the most recent being the construction of the crematory extension followed by the replacement of the cremators for

bariatric cremators, including refrigeration facilities and full mercury abatement plant. Also detailed in this section of the Plan, was the replacement of the flat roof above the original part of the crematory. She then further highlighted the extension of the grounds into the new land and the associated new memorialisation in that area, together with the further extension of the road infrastructure and additional car parking in 2017, named as Phase 2, and the landscaping of this new area in 2018.

The refurbishment of the Chapel of Remembrance also took place in 2018, she added.

At the bottom of Page 26 the performance indicators were highlighted for the previous five years, which related to user satisfaction, the results of which are taken from the service questionnaires sent to cremation applicants. The target, was to achieve 100% overall satisfaction levels rated good or excellent and these remained constant at 100%, with a

target set for the same result in 2019/20.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar, then referred to the annual statistics for cremations, details of which were included on page 28/29 of the Business Plan. The total number of cremations for

2018 was 1614, made up of 998 from Bridgend, 145 from Vale of Glamorgan and 415 from Rhondda Cynon Taff, with 66 non-residents. An agreement with the Princess of Wales Hospital for the cremation of non-viable foetal remains (NVF) had resulted in an additional 12 communal cremations. A further 9 individual NVF cremations were arranged

directly with families, she further added.

The statistical record tables for the period from January to

December 2018 and 2017, were included for comparison purposes on pages 27 and 28 of the Plan and from this Members would note, that the total number of cremations for 2017 was 1620. The annual cremation figures were now remaining fairly constant, although the

cremations from Vale of Glamorgan were down by 35, while the cremations from Rhondda Cynon Taff have increased by 36, with the number of non-residents remaining exactly the same.

The Business Plan then outlined the service developments and objectives for the period 2019/20. These were detailed on Pages 29 and 30 of the Business Plan.

With regard to mercury abatement charges to CAMEO, the Joint Committee may have recalled that those crematoria that have abated more than 50% of their cremations, can sell the excess mercury abated cremations to those which have abated less than this target, via CAMEO. Those who have excessively abated derive an income, and those who have not,

share the financial burden. Consequently, Coychurch Crematorium paid £41k for the period 2015/16 as a result of burden sharing costs for non- abated cremations in 2015. This burden sharing figure was reverted to income in 2016/17, due to the completion of the installation of mercury abatement plant in April 2016, which enabled the Crematorium

to abate more than 50% of its cremations during 2016/17, generating an income of £5,950.10 and again in 2017/18, generating an income of £6,415.92. The Crematorium abated all of its cremations in 2018 and awaits confirmation of the potential amount of income it can expect to generate for 2018/19.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar confirmed that the main focus of service objectives in 2019/20 will be:-

-       the upgrade and repairs to the pipe organ already discussed in the first report to the Joint Committee today,

-       repairs to flat roofs above the Waiting Room and Porte-cochère. These works were authorised in last year’s Business Report but have been delayed until June 2019 due to their close proximity to the chapel entrance and a desire for them to proceed during the quieter summer months when the weather should also be more reliable.

-       The Flower Court Extension feasibility study was approved by the Joint Committee on 15th June 2018 to be funded out of the 2018/19 revenue budget. This report will be submitted to the June 2019 meeting. The project can be accommodated in the Crematoriums reserve funds and will be considered in more detail in June. However, an estimated amount of £300,000 has been included in the 2019/20 budget to accommodate the construction phase of the project, subject to further approval by Members.

-       External lighting had already been discussed in a previous report considered by the Joint Committee today.

-       The refurbishment of the crematory teams restroom facilities is required to ensure that it remains fit for purpose. From 2014 until early 2016, the restroom additionally provided welfare facilities for contractors who constructed the crematory building extension and installed the new crematory equipment.

-       The Crematorium’s electrical distribution boards, housed within the crematory electricity and fan room, are mostly original to the opening of the building in 1971, and in order to meet current standards they require replacement.

-       In addition to these proposed service developments, a property contingency is included in the Crematorium’s Revenue Budget to cover minor unplanned works and general repair and maintenance works.

The Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar reminded the Joint Committee also, that the surplus fund is designed to build up

reserves for the future replacement of the cremators and ancillary plant in

approximately 12 years time, as well as fund all future service improvements.

Maintaining this reserve would ensure the Crematorium has sufficient long term funds for both, plus any unplanned eventualities that could occur.

The table on Page 31 of the Plan detailed the projected costs for these objectives, upon which the Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar gave a resume for the benefit of Members, as she did also on the proposed Budget details individually listed on page 32 of the Plan.

The table on Pages 33/34, summarised the timescales and officer

responsibilities for the projects over the past and current financial year and for the reported new objectives for 2019/20.

Referring back to the report on page 16, the Bereavement Services Manager and Registrar highlighted paragraph 4.3 which related to the of

setting charges for 2019/20, in particular the weekly adult cremation charge and accordingly a general increase in all fees. The cremation charge for the current financial year places the Crematorium at 258 out of 291 cremation authorities in a national fee league table that was published in the summer of 2018 (where the highest cremation charge is detailed first). It is recommended that the cremation charge is increased by inflation from £662.20 to £680.70. This is based upon a general increase in fees of 1% plus the current inflation figure of 1.8%, in line with BCBC’s protocol.

The table on Page 16 of the report, showed a comparison of current cremation fees for adjoining crematoria:-

Crematorium Cremation Fee 2018/19

Vale of Glamorgan (Barry) £850.00+ (excl. £47 organist)

Llanelli £785.00

Glyntaff (Pontypridd) £690.00 (excl. organist)

Llwydcoed (Aberdare) £690.00 (excl. organist)

Croesyceiliog (Gwent) £684.00 (excl. organist)

Morriston (Swansea) £665.00 (excl. organist)

Coychurch (Bridgend) £662.20

Margam £605.00

Narberth £581.00

Thornhill (Cardiff) £560.00 (excl. organist)

All variations to expenditure and income, was as outlined in the Service Level Business Plan, including the proposed increase in fees, which had been incorporated in the Treasurer’s Report, to be debated later on in the agenda for today’s meeting.

RESOLVED:                            That the Joint Committee:-

(1)     Approved the Service Level Business Plan 2019/20.

Approved the cremation fee for 2019/20 at £680.70 and a general increase in all fees of 2.8%