BLABY PARISH COUNCIL
MEETING OF THE JOINT ALLOTMENTS/CEMETERIES COMMITTEE held at 7.00 p.m. on
Tuesday 15th February 2005 at 13 Western Drive
PRESENT:
Mr. J. Troake (Chairman),
Dr. D. Pollard, Mr. J. Roper, Mrs. M. Robinson, Mr. A. Goodwin, Mrs. M. Broomhead,
Mrs. G. Lee (Clerk), Mrs. S. Wilson (Asst. Clerk).
APOLOGIES
FOR
ABSENCE: Miss A.M. Morris, Mr. G. Harding.
AC.05/13
DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST
The following disclosures of interest were made:-
AC.05/14
Name
Mr. A. Goodwin
Nature of Interest
Cemetery
Type of
Interest
Personal
Reason for Interest
Owner of burial rights
Mr. J. Roper
Cemetery
Personal
Owner of burial rights
MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES – Meeting held 18th January 2005.
None.
AC.05/15
INSPECTION REPORTS – ALLOTMENTS
None.
AC.05/16
INSPECTION REPORTS – CEMETERIES
None.
AC.05/17
CEMETERY EXTENSION – DESIGN
Columbaria (for ashes)?
At the Council’s meeting last week, the recommendation to “have a stone columbarium
and seats as a feature where the pond is now” was held over, pending photographs of
columbaria being sent to all Members of the Council.
It was felt that the Council should give families a choice wherever it can.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. A columbarium (or columbaria) to be included
in the design in the area where the pond is now.
Ground Investigation
The ground investigation (trial pits) has been carried out. Members of the Committee have
received a copy of the report. The trial pits revealed there is sand, gravel, cobbles and
clay.
The Clerk has sent the report to the gravedigger and asked him if the underlying strata
would present him with any significant problems. According to this report, the
gravedigger said he would have no problems.
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Allotments/Cemeteries Committee 15.2.05
AGREED. Copy the report to all other Members of the Council.
AC.05/18
INCREASE OF BURIAL FEES AND PAYMENTS
The Council has asked the Committee to consider this matter.
Members of the Committee have received a copy of Mr. Harding’s suggestions for
consideration.
The Chairman said the Council has to bear in mind why it would be increasing its fees,
i.e. to help pay for the Cemetery extension, but the Council has to strike a balance between
raising enough money and not frightening away non-parishioners. The Council should not
price itself out of the market for non-parishioners.
Mr. Roper said the Cemetery extension will be an attractive area paid for by the
parishioners of Blaby. For the next 25 years they will be paying for this facility. If the
prices are too low, the parishioners will have subsidised the burials of non-parishioners.
Dr. Pollard said the Council has to make sure it can justify increasing the fees. The
Council cannot make a profit. It should try and aim for a break-even situation. If the
Council increases the prices by too much and puts people off, the parishioners will be left
with a very large bill anyway.
The Chairman thought it was unlikely that the Council would make a profit. He said at
some stage the Council will have to start paying for the design of the next area of the
extension.
Mr. Goodwin queried what burial fees other parish councils charge for non-parishioners.
It was pointed out that no other parish council in the area is extending its cemetery, so their
prices for non-parishioners are not relevant to the situation in Blaby. In the past when the
Council has queried the burial fees of other councils in the area, it has been found that the
prices are similar to Blaby’s.
Mrs. Robinson said the Council has to bear in mind that it has to look after the interests of
the parishioners. It does not want the Cemetery to be unavailable for parishioners because
there are so many non-parishioners being buried there.
The Clerk said “non-parishioners” does not always mean somebody who has no
connection with Blaby. However, sometimes people do choose Blaby because of its
ambience.
Mrs. Broomhead joined the meeting at 7.30 p.m.
Existing burial fees are as follows:Parishioners
Burial Rights – Cremation Plots
Burial Rights – Burial Plots
Interment
Memorial Fee
Opening Cremation Plot
£30.00
£75.00
£30.00
£20.00
£20.00
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Non-Parishioners (i.e. Parishioners’
Fees x 3)
£ 90.00
£225.00
£ 90.00
£ 60.00
£ 60.00
Allotments/Cemeteries Committee 15.2.05
It was proposed that the Council should increase its burial fees, based on Mr. Harding’s
suggested figures, rounded up/down (ref. row 4, page 3 of his report).
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. Increase burial fees and payments with
immediate effect, as follows:Parishioners Non-Parishioners (i.e. Parishioners’
Fees x 3)
Burial Rights – Cremation Plots
£ 30.00
£ 90.00
Burial Rights – Burial Plots
£180.00
£540.00
Interment
£ 40.00
£120.00
Memorial Fee
£ 30.00
£ 90.00
Opening Cremation Plot
£ 30.00
£ 90.00
AC.05/19
CLERK’S REPORT: BURIAL MANAGEMENT COURSE
Members of the Committee have received a copy of the Clerk’s report of the Burial
Management Course which she attended on 13th January 2005.
The Clerk said it was interesting to learn that monolith memorials, which are made of one
piece of stone, are much more stable than modern “jointed” memorials and do not fall
over. A local stonemason has advised than an average “jointed” memorial costs around
£400 + VAT, as opposed to a monolith memorial, which costs around £700 + VAT. The
Clerk advised that there have not been any monolith memorials erected on the Council’s
Cemetery for at least the last 25 years.
The Clerk advised that some councils link their Burial Right term with memorials, e.g. 30
years for each. This Council’s Burial Rights are currently sold for 100 years. The Clerk
suggested that the Council could consider a lesser period.
Re memorials, the Clerk advised that at present the Council sends a letter allowing the
erection of a memorial. The Clerk suggested the Council could consider a more formal
document, e.g. “Grant of Rights to Erect and Maintain a Memorial”. This Grant of Rights
would stress that the owner of the Rights “maintains” the memorial. The Rights should
have a term of years. At the moment, it is an open-ended Right. Rights could be
extended, but if the term were, for example, 30 years, it would allow the Council a) a
chance to find the family, b) to remove an unstable/unsightly memorial if the family had
disappeared.
AGREED. Put on April agenda.
AC.05/20
ALLOTMENTS: ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The Clerk advised that the Council has never received a request for an allotment from a
person with a disability.
It was suggested that the Council should be prepared for such a request and make a
decision at the time. It was felt that to try and plan in advance could be very difficult. If
the Council set aside a certain number of plots with raised beds in case the need should
arise, the plots may lay fallow and never be used.
Members were reminded that the Council has a Policy against the Discrimination of
Disabled People, which would apply if a person with a disability made a request to be
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Allotments/Cemeteries Committee 15.2.05
provided with an allotment. The Clerk pointed out that the person’s name would have to
go on the waiting list, as is the normal practice for anyone applying for an allotment. This
would give the Council time to consider the matter. The Clerk advised that at the moment
there are around 20 people on the waiting list, most of them from outside Blaby village.
It was agreed that if the situation arises, the Council will consider the matter.
AC.05/21
CONSIDERATION OF PROVIDING A SKIP ON THE ALLOTMENTS AT
EASTER
The cost to hire a skip for one week at Easter for the allotments is £110 + VAT.
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL. Hire a skip for one week at Easter for the
allotments (for non-vegetative rubbish).
AC.05/22
CORRESPONDENCE
None.
AC.05/23
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED AFTER ISSUE OF AGENDA: FOR
INFORMATION ONLY
None.
AC.05/24
CHAIRMAN’S TIME
None.
MEETING CLOSED 7.48 P.M.
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