Councillor Nick Emmerson moved, and seconded by Councillor Geraldine Stanford

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Richard Marston be elected as chair for 2014/15.

Councillor Richard Marston declared that he was a shareholder in a vehicle rental company – fleetprices.co.uk

Councillor Nick Emmerson asked that it be recorded that he was Vice-Chair, Housing, Economy & Business Committee at LB Sutton

Apologies were received from Councillors Trish Fivey(LB Sutton), Holly Ramsey (LB Sutton) and David Williams(LB Merton).

Councillor Geraldine Stanford moved, and seconded by Councillor Joan Henry

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Stan Anderson be elected as vice-chair for 2014/15.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2014 are agreed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That Chris Pedlow, Senior Democratic Services Officer, London Borough of Merton, be appointed as the Clerk to the board with effect from 1 April 2014.

The Board’s Treasurer presented the report which set out the Merton and Sutton Joint Cemetery Board’s Accounts for 2013-14. It was noted that the accounts needed to be approved to comply with the CIPFA Accounting Code of Practice which was compliant with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The report provided the Board with a copy of the Draft Abstract of Accounts for 2013-14, Annual Audit Return for 2013-14 and Risk Register for their consideration and approval. It was noted that the accounts had been scrutinised by Merton’s internal auditors and that the report also sought approval to appoint an external auditor Littlejohn LLP to audit and sign off the accounts.

Section 3 of the report provided an update on operational activities at the cemetery, noting that there would be soon a new cemetery van and that the main office would be rebuilt. Members received a copy of the plans for the new office, including public toilets, which had recently received planning permission, which would be valid for a 3 year period. The Treasurer expanded on paragraph 3.4 of the report over the request to seek an external consultant surveyor to look at a potential rental opportunities for the Board’s land.

The Board then discussed the report and asked a number of questions including:

·       It was confirmed that in respect of the cemetery van that the normal process would be purchased it via Merton’s service level vehicle management agreement. The Board asked that consideration be given to commercial rental rather that outright purchasing and the Board’s registrar confirmed he would look at all options.

·       It was confirmed that the building of the new office would not take place until there was £500,000 in the reserves.

·       The Board were very supportive of the use of the external consultant surveyor, to look at ways of maximising the land’s rental value. They asked that if once the findings had been produced, and if it was significantly in advance of the scheduled meeting in February 2015, that the Board be sent a copy

·       It was confirmed that in Appendix b the Long term assets figures had been rounded to the nearest pound, in line with audit procedures, and that was why the total was a pound difference to the two figures combined.

·       On the risk register the Board asked that risk no MSJCB2, in the column Action Plan (Y/N) Review Date, that in the future it reads Corporate Pandemic (Flu) plan, with the word swine being removed.

·       On Paragraph 2.4 Breakdown of Sundry Creditors, the Treasury confirmed that the debt to LB Sutton would be paid back at 3.47% over the next 25 years.

RESOLVED:

A.     That Littlejohn LLP be appointed as auditors of the Board to hold office until the conclusion of the next general Meeting at which accounts would be  laid before the board.

B.     That the Draft Abstract of Accounts for 2013-14 be approved

C.     That the Annual Audit Return for 2013-14 be approved

D.     That the Risk Register be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.