No declarations of Pecuniary Interest were received.

In the interests of openness and transparency Councillor Nick Emmerson declared that he is a Board Member of Sutton Housing Board, and that his wife used to keep a horse at Green Lane Stables.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Geraldine Stanford and David Williams

The Clerk apologised for mistakes made on the minutes of the previous meeting and added the following corrections:

Councillor Graham Whitham to be added to the list of attendees on both public and exempt minutes

Councillor Trish Fivey to be added to the list of apologies

RESOLVED: That the  minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2016  are agreed as an accurate record, with the corrections made to attendees and apologies

The Treasurer to the Board presented the report on Budget monitoring 2016/17 and Revenue Estimates 2017/18. She explained that owing to the very recent transfer to idverde changes have taken place and that a more accurate picture of the revenue estimates will be available for the next meeting in June.

The Board noted that from 1 February 2017 cemeteries fees and charges will be collected by the contractor and a guaranteed level of income paid to the Board based on the 2014/15 Outrun plus inflation. Income above this threshold will be shared between the Board and Contractor on a 70/30 basis.

In answer to questions from Councillors, the treasurer assured Councillors that any estimation would be revisited and revised. She explained that internal auditor fees would be included in this revision.

RESOLVED

The Board

1.            That the current budgetary position for 2016/17 based on the third quarters monitoring be noted.

2.            The Revenue Estimates for 2017/18 as submitted be approved.

3.            That the precepts for the financial year ended 31 March 2018 be set at zero.

4.            That the Board establishes it’s next meeting for Monday 12 June 2017 at 2.30pm to ensure that information is despatched to Merton’s External Auditors by 30^th June 2017.

5.            That the Board review and approve the Risk Management Strategy and Risk Register (as at February 2017)attached as Appendix G

The Chair thanked  Officers for their work on this report

Board members asked to record a vote of thanks to Councillor Nick Emmerson for his Chairing in the last year.

Patrick Phillips and Tony Race from idverde attended the meeting and introduced the work of idverde to the. Board. Members noted the work already being done by idverde and requested that they be provided with regular updates from idverde on their work at the Cemetery.

To RESOLVE that the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) on the grounds that it is (they are) exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report(s).

RESOLVED: That the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) on the grounds that it is (they are) exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report(s).

The Treasurer to the Board was asked about the reference in the exempt minutes to the information regarding the current members of the pension fund, and it was agreed that this information will be brought to the next meeting.

RESOLVED: That the  exempt minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2016  are agreed as an accurate record, with the corrections made to attendees and apologies

The minutes for this item are not for Publication

By Virtue of paragraph 1 and 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A

Of the Local Government Act 1972