30 January 2023
CHAPEL ST LEONARDS PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CEMETERY COMMITTEE
Monday 30 January 2023 at 11:15am at the
Church Hall, Church Lane, Chapel St Leonards
Present: Cllr P Robinson, Cllr Christie-Smith, Cllr Whitmore
Absent: Cllr G Dalton
Deputy Parish Clerk: Mrs S Bristow
Proper Officer: Miss A Maynard
Members of public present: 0
CC1/01-23 Chair’s Welcome
CC2/01-23 Apologies for Absence
Apologies were accepted from Cllr Dalton.
CC3/01-23 Declarations of Interest
None
CC4/01-23 Financial Update on the Cemetery Fund
The Deputy Clerk presented a spreadsheet of income and expenditure from 1 April 2022 to 31 Dec 2022 specific to the cemetery. Several invoices are outstanding and will be chased up from the office. It was confirmed, following an earlier Finance committee meeting, that the Deputy’s working hours for specific cemetery tasks (e.g. inspection and follow up letters) be billed in addition to her usual working hours and be funded from the earmarked cemetery funds.
CC5/01-23 Deputy Clerk’s update on actions from the 3 October meeting
The Deputy noted tasks were completed and was further tasked with obtaining quotations to remove and re-lay the pathway in the Churchyard. This opened a discussion on the rights of way, which were covered in a legal agreement of 2004 between PC and the PCC. Additionally, the Deputy found a letter, dated 2010, referring to the Churchyard having been “closed” in 2008. However, her investigations into the matter yielded the information (directly from the Diocesan Registrar for Lincoln in London) that the Churchyard is not actually closed, as this involves an order being filed and this has not taken place. Thus, she will contact the PCC about potentially financially supporting the replacement of the pathway.
CC6/01-23 To consider the Scale of Fees for 2023-2024
It was RESOLVED to increase Fees from 1 April 2023. The Deputy will update the Fee sheet accordingly.
CC7/01-23 To review and update Memorials infraction letters in line with updated Terms and Conditions as well as ICCM guidance
All four letters were reviewed and need updating to new Clerk contact details. The letters were clarified as being:
• Internment Letter and T&C- used by Funeral Directors at the time of the funeral.
• Letter 1- send to non-compliant owners along with the T&C to return.
• Letter 2- send to non-compliant owners who already have accewpted the T&C.
• Letter 3- send to non-compliant owners who have not responded to the previous letters. Retention time of ornaments needs correcting to say “2 months”.
The Deputy will update the letters prior to the February inspection and ensure Funeral Directors have copies of the Internment letter. The committee asked if the Deputy could send T&C to compliant families without one on file- this will take place after the inspection as time permits.
CC8/01-23 To resolve the date of the Memorials inspection as 16 February 2023 at 1pm
RESOLVED
CC9/10-23 To resolve a reserve date for the Memorials inspection in case of inclement weather on 16 February 2023
Decided as unnecessary by the committee
CC10/10-23 To resolve the date of the next Cemetery Committee meeting
It was RESOLVED that the next ordinary meeting of the Cemetery Committee will be held on Monday 27th March 2023 at 11:30 am at the Church Hall, Church Lane, Chapel St Leonards
Having concluded the agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 12:21pm.