Melbourn Parish Council Minutes
Minutes of a Cemetery Committee Meeting held on
Monday, 17th September, 2012 in the Parish Office at 7.15p.m.
Present: Cllrs M. Sherwen, M. Townsend, R. Gatward, A. Mulcock, P. Simmonett, J.Hales, D.Mowatt, C.Stead, I. Bloomfield and K.Crosby
In Attendance: The Clerk + 1 member of the public
CEM/25/12: Apologies for absence. The Ranger
CEM/26/12: Declarations of Interest: None.
CEM/27/12: Minutes of the meeting on 6th August, 2012:
It was proposed by Cllr. Hales, seconded by Cllr. Simmonett and agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 6th August, 2012 were a true record of the meeting.
CEM/28/12: Matters arising:
CEM/21/12(a): The Clerk has written with regard to the plastic fencing placed round the grave.
A discussion followed about the need to inform all grave holders of the Rules and Regulations governing the cemetery, including the need to draw up a summary sheet, the need for the undertakers to have copies of these and to issue them to clients, for the council to produce a series of letters to grave holders in the event of a contravention of the rules and to have a strategy for dealing with contraventions should the letters produce no positive outcomes.
In addition, concern was expressed about the sinking soil problem on some graves, which may be caused by settlement, and the need to ensure that the tops are levelled off and turfed. The Clerk maintained that there is no policy to restrict the amount of soil placed in the grave after burial and no policy to level it off before the normal shrinkage takes place. The Ranger has requested the provision of top soil to enable work to be carried out on those graves which now need to be levelled. This issue is to be raised at the next meeting of the New Road Cemetery Working Party.
ACTION: The Clerk + New Road Cemetery Working Party
CEM/29/12: Current Income & Expenditure:
The Income and Expenditure noted. The Clerk to provide the amount of the budget still remaining at the next meeting
ACTION: The Clerk
CEM/30/12: Cemetery Report for August, 2012:
Cllr Stead presented his report for August. (See Appendix 1)
Cllrs Hales and Simmonett also produced a report (se Appendix 2)
CEM/31/12: Correspondence: None
CEM/32/12: Any matters concerning New Road Cemetery:
Cllr Sherwen reported on his conversations with MD Landscapes about the cemetery and the possible need for extra paid help which MD Landscapes believed was unnecessary at this particular time of the year.
The committee considered a quote from MD Landscapes for spraying and sweeping off the car park. This was considered unnecessary given the work of Cllr Mowatt. Quotes were also presented for cutting the Yew hedge around the car park and the hedge around the perimeter of the car park for the total sum of £800. IT WAS PROPOSED BY CLLR BLOOMFIELD AND SECONDED BY CLLR TOWNSEND THAT THE QUOTE FOR £800 FOR THE CUTTING OF THE CAR PARK YEW HEDGE AND THE HEDGE AROUND THE PERIMETER BE ACCEPTED. THIS WAS CARRIED.
A quote was also received for the provision of rabbit-fencing. This issue is to be discussed at the next meeting of the New Road Cemetery Working Party.
ACTION: The Clerk + New Road Cemetery Working Party.
CEM/33/12: Any matters concerning Orchard Road Cemetery:
Cllr Hales reported that he had been in discussion with SCDC about the possible provision of a Blue Bin for the cemetery but that this is deemed uneconomic. It was decided to ask that bags be used and provision made for recycling.
Cllr Simmonett raised the question of the purchase of stones for the maintenance of the graves as discussed at the last meeting. IT WAS PROPOSED BY CLLR GATWARD AND SECONDED BY CLLR SIMMONETT THAT THE GRAVEL FOR THE GRAVES BE PURCHASED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DECISION TAKEN AT THE LAST MEETING (CEM/22/12(d)). THIS WAS CARRIED.
ACTION: Cllrs Simmonett
CEM/34/12: Any matters concerning All Saints’ Churchyard: Nothing to report
CEM/35/12: Urgent matters: None.
There being no other business the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.22p.m