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Agenda and minutes

Corporate Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 28th January, 2021 6.00 pm, NEW

Venue: Online Meeting. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services 01827 709264 

Link: View the link

Items
No. Item

56.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor M Summers.

57.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (personal and/or personal and prejudicial) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a personal interest or personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

58.

Consideration of Matters referred to the Corporate Scrutiny Committee from Cabinet / Council

58a

Review of Cemetery Regulations - Memorial Benches pdf icon PDF 107 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair introduced this item which had been referred to this Committee from   Council, which, at its meeting on 15th December 2020, had received a Petition requesting that a bench be placed at Wigginton Cemetery.  At the Council meeting, the Leader of the Council, Councillor D Cook, proposed and the following motion was approved:

 

“To refer the policy to corporate scrutiny for immediate review and make all officer time required available to fully understand the impacts of the policy and ensure corporate scrutiny can get this done by the end of January so not to prolong the matter further for Keeley‘s family.”

 

The Chair reported that this Committee had met on 18th January 2021 to consider this matter, and that following consideration had resolved that a further meeting of this Committee be scheduled to consider this matter further, and that members submit any questions and any requests for further information ahead of that meeting.

 

The Chair welcomed the Executive Director, Organisation, Assistant Director, Operations and Leisure and the Operations Manager to the meeting.

 

The Committee considered the Cemeteries Regulations, the available burial space for the Borough, which was expected to be sufficient for the next 80 years, any future long term provision of cemetery space, the extent of any available space within existing cemeteries where memorial benches could be placed, the requirement to regularly review policies and the potential for alternative memorial gardens to be explored.

 

RESOLVED:

 

  1. That the Cemeteries Policy is referred back to full Council with a recommendation to leave the policy unchanged.

 

(Moved by Councillor S Goodall and seconded by Councillor M Oates)

 

  1. That it be recommended to Cabinet that Cabinet consult with the wider public investigating an alternative scheme of memorialisation and to further look at whether it is feasible and maintainable.

 

(Moved by Councillor B Price and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

 

  1. That it be recommended to Cabinet that the Cemeteries Regulations be reviewed on a regular basis, as to be agreed by Cabinet.

 

(Moved by Councillor P Standen and seconded by Councillor Dr S Peaple)

 

The following motion was moved, seconded and voted on but not carried:

 

That the Corporate Scrutiny Committee recommend to Cabinet that Cabinet explore creating a civic memorial garden to provide an opportunity for families to remember their relatives.

 

(Moved by Councillor Dr S Peaple and seconded by Councillor R Bilcliff)