Parish Clerk /
/ Office Hours 9 am to 1 pm
3 Gorringe Valley Road / Monday to Friday
Willingdon
East Sussex BN20 9SX / Telephone / Fax: 01323 489603
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The minutes of the CEMETERY COMMITTEE held on Monday 20th October 2014

at Willingdon Community School, Broad Road, Willingdon

Present: Cllrs’ Colin Laycock (CL), Bonnie Beck (BB), Martin Cooper (MC), Richard Nunney (RN), John Pritchett (JP), Andy Watkins (AW), Colin Wood (CW)

In Attendance: Andy Beams – Parish Clerk (AB)

Item / Subject / Action By
C14/036 / Apologies
Cllr Howard Coote.
C14/037 / To accept the minutes from the meeting held on 18th August2014
RESOLVED: To accept the minutes as an accurate and true record, and these were signed by Cllr Colin Laycock (Chairman)
C14/038 / Declarations of interest
Cllrs Beck,Laycockand Pritchett declared interests as they own plots in the Cemetery.
C14/039 / Public Question Time
SUPSPEND STANDING ORDERS
None
REINSTATE STANDING ORDERS
C14/040 / Update on Cemetery Extension
The Clerk had previously distributed a report confirming that initial investigatory work by the appointed contractors CDS Ltd was due to start at the end of this week. Arrangements had been made with the tenant farmer with regard to access.
RESOLVED:Members noted the report and requested the Clerk update Eastbourne Borough Council with this information. / AB
C14/041 / Report of Cemetery Manager
10 Jul - 10 Oct 2014 / Parishioner / Non-Parishioner
No / No
New Burial Plot – Single / 1 / 2
New Burial Plot – Double / 1 / 0
New Memorial Garden / 0 / 0
Gardens of Rest & Remembrance / 0 / 0
Memorial Permits - New / 0 / 4
Memorial Permits - Additional / 1 / 0
Re-open of Existing Plot / 3 / 6
Transfer of Grave Ownership / 3 / 2
RESOLVED:Members noted the report from the Cemetery Manager. Members also noted that a recent headstone inspection had been completed by the Cemetery Manager, with the assistance of Cllr Cooper.
C14/042 / Repairs to entrance road
The Clerk had provided a report detailing the problems with the road. A quote had been obtained to replace the entire section at a cost of £895.55 + VAT.
Members agreed the need to make the repair, and discussed whether other repair work could be carried out at the same time further along the road nearer Gorringe Valley Road.
RESOLVED:Cllr Laycock agreed to view the other damage and advise the Clerk whether to include this in the works. Once decided, the Clerk to authorise the work with the contractors and agree a date so that notice can be given to cemetery users and walkers on the pathway which will be affected. / CL/AB
C14/043 / Cemetery User request regarding pea beech drainage
The Clerk explained that a regular cemetery user had questioned the pea beech, as although he recognised the reasons for its placement, he felt it was untidy and not in keeping with the rest of the cemetery. Members discussed the area and felt that as the drainage work had appeared to be successful, they were reluctant to change the area, and felt it was not out of keeping with the rest of the cemetery.
RESOLVED:The Clerk to advise the cemetery user of the committee’s decision. / AB
C14/044 / To consider changes to the pricing structure
At previous meetings, questions had been raised about whether single and double graves should be priced differently, and what the agreement was with regard to child and infant fees. The Cemetery Manager had researched the fee structures for other local cemeteries, and provided this information to Members. The Clerk also pointed out that at other cemeteries the digging (interment) fees were paid to the cemetery, where currently these were billed directly to the funeral directors for Willingdon cemetery. Members were also advised they needed to decide on the actual fees to take effect from 1st April 2015.
RESOLVED: Members agreed the following general principles with regard to pricing:
  • Single and double grave prices would be standardised
  • Children under 12 years old would be charged 50% of the fee
  • Infants under 12 months old would be charged 25% of the fee
  • Digging/interment fees would be paid direct to the cemetery
A general increase in prices of 10% was to be applied to burial and ashes fees. The Clerk was asked to draw up a new fee structure based on these principles to present to the committee at the meeting in January 2015 for agreement. / AB
C14/045 / Committee budget and three year plan
RESOLVED: Members agreed to a general increase of 10% for income and expenditure for the following year’s budget, and to apply that general principle for the next three years, subject to any substantial alterations becoming necessary. Members further recommended that any surplus income generated from the cemetery should be allocated to the reserve established to fund the proposed extension.
C14/045 / Risk Management – to consider the effects (if any) arising from items on the agenda
None
C14/046 / Urgent items and items for referral to next agenda
None
Meeting closed at 8.15pm. Date of next meeting Monday 19th January 2015.