Minutes of a Cemetery Committee Meeting held on Tuesday 10th April 2012.
Present: Cllrs M. Townsend (Ch), I. Bloomfield, K. Crosby, R. Gatward,
A. Mulcock, J. Poley, P. Simmonett and C. Stead.
In Attendance: Mr K Rudge (Ranger) and G. Squires.
785/11. Apologies for absence. Cllr M. Sherwen rang saying he would be arriving late.
786/11. Declarations of Interest: None.
787/11. Minutes of the meeting on 13th February 2012.
It was proposed by Cllr. Gatward, seconded by Cllr. Hales and agreed that the minutes were a true record of the meeting.
788/11. Matters arising:
667/11. Cllr. Stead reported that records of inscriptions on War memorial are held at the Public Records Office at Kew.
664/11. There are some charges outstanding, the money for which is available in the budget which will be carried forward into next year.
789/11. Current Income & Expenditure:
The Committee asked for clarification on the rates paid on the two Cemeteries. Two payments of £53 for Orchard Road and nine payments of £56 for New Road cemetery.
ACTION: The Clerk
790/11. Correspondence:
(a) E-mail from Alan Jones with respect to erecting a headstone memorial in New Road Cemetery. The e-mail was not available but it was believed Mr Jones wanted to erect a memorial to himself, as a present resident of Melbourn, after death even though he may be buried or cremated elsewhere. After discussion it was agreed that the Clerk should reply to Mr Jones to clarify the request and say that an area for dedicated memorials was being considered. This to be added as an agenda item for the Cemetery working party.
ACTION: The Clerk
(Cllr. Sherwen joined the meeting at 7.30)
791/11. New Road Cemetery:
(a) General.
The gate has been replaced in Summerhouse Lane.
The soil has been removed from the soil store onto the mound, this is to be sculpted and topsoil added.
Repairs are needed to the soil store, all materials are on site and the date to carry out the work will be advised.
Cllr Simmonett reported that the watering bags round the new trees were empty when inspected. The Ranger replied that they were filled twice a week but the weather has been very dry recently. He also reported that the first willow tree on the left on the site was leaning badly. The Ranger will inspect it and straighten it if possible.
The entrance gates and fencing have been fixed or repaired. The ranger reported that the Victoria Way gate hinges have been adjusted (there was a nut missing from the top hinge) and it is working properly.
A central stop is required in the middle of the two gates to stop them over swinging.
The Ranger asked whether the contractor could be asked to cut the grass on the verges of the approach road. This has been cut by the Handyman to date but it was thought this could be included in the contract for cutting the cemetery grass. The committee agreed that MD Landscapes should be asked to do this as long as there would be no extra cost or this could be offset by having fewer cuts elsewhere.
792/11. Orchard Road Cemetery:
The Ranger reminded the committee that the cemetery hedge is cut twice a year and the first cut should be considered as soon as possible after the birds have finished nesting.
Cllr. Simmonett said that the cemetery is looking much tidier after the winter work carried out by the Handymen.
793/11. Urgent matters:
None.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.03.