Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Services Delivery, (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery that updated the Committee on considerations in respect of the Memorial Bench scheme and alternative ‘Legacy Scheme’ proposals within Parks & Open Spaces. Attached to the report were appendices detailing illustrative photographs and examples of memorial projects.

The Director of Service Delivery introduced the report and advised Members that the proposed approach was largely to manage the scheme by backfilling into the existing provision, rather than create new locations. He then took the Committee through the examples of projects provided in the appendices.

Concerns were raised around the current policy for purchasing a bench. It was noted that it lacked clarity around individual responsibility, length of lease, when ownership/responsibility reverted and whether benches could be removed.

The City of London Cemetery was cited as an excellent example of good practice in terms of its policy. This comprised an agreed purchase price for a bench, maintained by the City of London Cemetery for an agreed number of years, after that agreed period a maintenance fee was levied and if not paid, the bench reverted to the cemetery. In addition, the cemetery was now looking into the use of reclaimable bench material going forward.

In light of the aforementioned concerns the Chairman proposed that recommendation (i) be referred back for a separate report on the policy, to include clarification for those with existing benches and feedback from Friends of Heybridge Cemetery and the National Federation, as appropriate.

The Chairman put the recommendations, including the revised recommendation (i), to the Committee and they were agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)                             that Members agreed this recommendation be referred back to officers for a separate report on the policy;

(ii)                          that Members agreed a draft ‘best practice’ model for creation, processes, and functions of a Legacy Fund be prepared and returned to Committee for discussion by December 2019.

(iii)                        that Members agreed a list of potential projects for application to a Legacy Fund scheme be developed, with details to include indications where they ‘fit’ with existing policy or need, financial costs/scale and deliverability, and indicative locations (including designs) be drafted for consideration.