Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

NOTED            that no intention to record the meeting was declared apart from through the usual web platforms.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 21 December 2022 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The report provided an update on staffing and the current operation of the Crematorium.

The Crematorium and Cemeteries Manager and Registrar presented the report highlighting staffing, cremator and ancillary equipment, grounds projects, first aid update, project update, funeral poverty initiative and cremation data.

Councillor Whitbyreferred to 2.3.2 of the report, referring to the development of the pond, raising concerns for the ashes scattered next to the pond.  Councillor Jackson enquired as to how many persons ashes would have been scattered next to the pond.  The Crematorium and Cemeteries Manager and Registrar is aware of an amount but not held electronically, also advising that no decision or consultation had taken place, Councillor Whitby suggested that the decision be deferred.   Councillor Whitby proposed and Councillor Richardson seconded an amendment to the recommendations, the Chairman therefore requested that a further report be brought to the next Committee with regard to the pond and its future development.

AGREED      that:

i)          Members noted the report.

ii)      Members agreed to the purchase of ‘Lecturn Touch’ at a cost of £4,827.00 which had been reflected in the Q3 monitoring report.

iii)       a further report be brought to the next Committee meeting with regard to the development of the pond.

The report showed the forecasted year end position for the 2022/2023 financial year for the Mansfield Crematorium as at 31 December 2022.

The Head of Finance for Mansfield District Council gave an overview of the report to the members of the Committee.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

i)          the financial information provided in Appendix 1, Table 1 and Table 2 is for noting only.

The report provided the proposed dates for 2023 – 2024 for consideration and approval having checked against financial reporting deadlines.

AGREED      (unanimously) that:

i)          the following dates be approved -

26 June 2023 at Ashfield District Council

18 September 2023 at Mansfield District Council

11 December 2023 at Newark & Sherwood District Council

26 February 2024 at Ashfield District Council

20 May 2024 at Mansfield District Council

The Members noted the Committee Work Programme.

Agreed (unanimously) that under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

Committee resolved that under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during discussion of this item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

It is considered that the need to treat the information in this report as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosure because of potential to prejudice the commercial interests of the contractor, if the financial details were to be put into the public domain thereby becoming available to competitors.