PENWORTHAM TOWN COUNCIL

Cemetery and War Memorial Committee

Meeting held in the Community Centre at 6.30pm on Tuesday 2 March 2004.

Present: Councillor Shaw (in the Chair)

Councillors Mrs Bretherton, Bryce, Read and Thistlethwaite.

All members of the council had been invited to attend this meeting, and Councillor Pimblett was present.

In attendance: Steve Caswell - Town Manager
Michael Cronin - Democratic Services Manager

3. Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from Councillors Howarth and Pownall and from the following who were not members of the committee: Councillors Hancock, Hartley, Gore, D Wooldridge and Mrs Wooldridge.

4. Minutes of the Last Meeting

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the last meeting held on 15 December 2003 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chairman.

5. Declarations of Interest

Councillors Mrs Bretherton, Read and Shaw declared a personal, non- prejudicial interest in the following item as members of the Borough Council's Planning Committee but were able, under the Council's Code of Conduct, to take part in the meeting and vote.

6. Burial Ground at Hill Road - Planning Application No. 07/03/1162

It was reported that further correspondence had been received from the Area Planning Officer, Mr Stell, regarding planning application 07/03/1162.

He had indicated that he was unable to progress the application in its current form as there were a significant number of outstanding issues. These could be summarised as follows:

i) the council should consider removing the area to the east of the
ridge/hedge (adjacent to Valley Road) from the application. If not, a landscaped appraisal and scheme must be submitted to mitigate the visual impact of the proposal;

ii) consideration should be given to extending the hedgerow along the Hill Road frontage;

iii) an ecological survey of the pond should be undertaken;

iv) the possibility of re-routing, and possibly shortening, the road to avoid the trees should be examined;

v) the water course must be protected from pollution;

vi) technical amendments to the plan should be made and a statement setting out the background to the application submitted.

He had suggested, therefore, that the application be withdrawn and a further one submitted when the necessary information had been obtained.

The Town Manager and the Democratic Services Manager had met Mr Stell and Mr Fitchie on site to examine the various issues which had arisen and general agreement in principle on the way forward had been reached. The committee noted that the need for a survey of the pond area to determine the presence of great crested newts could require a significant amount of expenditure.

The committee discussed the implications of agreeing to the proposed course of action and the importance of ensuring the amenities of Valley Road residents were not adversely affected.

RESOLVED: i) that in view of the potential visual impact of the proposal on the area to the east of the ridge/ hedge, application no. 07/03/1162 be withdrawn;

ii) that a further application be submitted, excluding the area to the east of the ridge/ hedge, when the concerns outlined by Borough Council have been addressed, including the issue of the ecological survey of the pond;

iii) that investigations be made into the possibility of introducing appropriate planting to screen the Valley Road properties.

7. The Use of the Community Service Workforce

The Town Manager suggested the use of this resource for work at the cemetery.

RESOLVED: that the Community Service workforce be invited to carry out the painting work required to the fencing at the cemetery.

8. Insurance Cover

The Town Manager suggested a number of proposals in the light of recent concerns nationally about health and safety at cemeteries and the possibility of injuries arising from falling headstones.

He suggested that it would be more appropriate for those purchasing plots to be required to pay the charge for the headstone immediately and that a register of authorised monumental masons should be kept who would be required to abide by a code of practice. Insurance cover should be taken out in all cases to cover the risk of falling headstones.

Councillor Pimblett suggested that the council could itself take out the appropriate cover and recharge this to the purchasers of headstones.

Councillor Mrs Bretherton considered that some exemption should be introduced for those unable to pay the headstone fee.

RESOLVED: that the principle of introducing the following arrangements be agreed:

i) those purchasing plots be required to pay the charge for the headstone immediately, but that further consideration be given to the possibility of exemptions;

ii) that a register of authorised monumental masons be kept who would be required to abide by a code of practice when erecting headstones;

iii) that it be a requirement that insurance cover be taken out in all cases to cover the risk of falling headstones, but that further investigations be made into the most appropriate way of achieving this.

9. Maintenance of the Cemetery

Councillor Mrs Bretherton raised this issue and it was indicated that the annual contract had already been let. However, further consideration would be given to this matter at the appropriate time.

………………………..Chairman

(The meeting finished at 7.10pm)

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