Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Jean Crossby and from Howard Joy – Board Surveyor

There were no declarations of interest.

Councillor Simon McGrath asked the Board to note that a request he made at the previous meeting had not been included. This was a request for further information regarding Board Members’ indemnity insurance. This was noted and Officers agreed to check the situation.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2018 are agreed as an accurate record, to include the correction detailed above

The Merton Client Side Manager presented his report on the repair work undertaken on the Cemetery Public Toilet Block. Members were pleased to hear that this work was soon to be completed and requested that they be sent photos of the completed work.

RESOLVED

The Board noted the contents of the report

The Board noted the contractor’s report. The Board discussed the visual state of the Cemetery and sought assurance that it was being kept as neat and tidy as possible. The Client Side Manager explained that there was an issue with the small aperture bins, and that larger bins have now been added. If there is any fly –tipping then it needs to be reported to Veolia and the civil enforcement teams. The Board asked that the Client Side Manager discusses the issues of waste management at the Cemetery with idverde and Veolia.

Members emphasised that it was the will of the Board that its customers should experience the cemetery to be as tidy as possible, and they asked Officers to take this away as the main point of the discussion. The Board also emphasised that the contract with idverde says that the Cemetery will be kept tidy.

Members asked Officers to check the interment figures for August 2018, as different figures were quoted in the two tables within the report. However Members noted that whichever figure was correct it showed a large increase in the number of interments in that month.

Members also noted a large jump in the number of burials being held on a Saturday and noted that this is a more expensive option. However the Cemetery Manager reported that customers were making a choice to use the Saturday slots and that customers were making use of increased flexibility now offered.

The Client-Side manager explained that the refurbishment of the toilet block and the renewal of the Bearer Beams had been the major work undertaken by the Board in the current year.

The Board noted the Cemetery Managers comments about the digital mapping of Cemetery plots and this being necessary for future use. The Board noted that most of MSJC had been digitally mapped in this way but the Ahmadiyya section of the Cemetery still need to be completed. The Board asked the Client Side Manager to look at this issue and to report back to the Board regarding the completion of this project.

RESOLVED

The Board noted the Contractor Update Report

The Clerk to the Board presented the report on proposed changes to the constitution and explained that these were necessary to allow the Board to meet its legal requirements with regards to current financial reporting arrangements and also to meet best practice requirements for definition of a quorum. The Board also noted the updated risk register.

The Board did not object to any of the recommendations, but it was said that the role of the Board has changed with the introduction of the new contract and that a more wide ranging review of the Board’s governance structure and decision making arrangements was necessary going forwards.

Members agreed to the proposed changes as detailed in the report and also requested that a further recommendation be added. This recommendation requests that the Board be presented with a  review of the Governance Structure of the Board and its suitability with regard to the current management arrangements of the Cemetery.

RESOLVED

A.   That the Board agrees the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Board that the appointment of Members to the Board lasts for one year and begins once they are appointed by their respective Council at its Annual Meeting

B.   That the Board agrees the amendment to the Constitution such that the Annual meeting of the Board can be held at any time after its Members are appointed.

C.   The Board agrees the amendment to the Constitution such that that the Quorum for a Board Meeting shall be one quarter of the whole number of members or a minimum of three members with at least one from each Council. If the meeting is inquorate then business, where possible, will be held over to the next meeting of the Board

D.   That the Board notes the Risk Register at November 2018

E.   That the Board requests a review of the Governance Structure of the Board and its suitability with regard to the current management arrangements of the Cemetery.

The Board received the report of the Surveyor to the Board, and members noted that the revised lease was for only 15 years, and therefore the land would become available, if needed for the Cemetery, at the end of this lease period.

RESOLVED

The Board noted the report and details of the new lease for Green Lane Primary School

To RESOLVE that the public are excluded from the meeting

during consideration of the following reports on the grounds

that they are exempt from disclosure for the reasons

stated in the agenda.

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).