Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee

27 January 2016

Quarterly Performance and Operational Report

Report of Graham Harrison, Bereavement Services Manager

Purpose of the Report1. To provide Members of the Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee

with the quarterly update relating to performance and other operational matters.

Performance Update - Number of Cremations2. The table below provides details of the number of cremations for the period 1

September to 31 December 2015 inclusive, with comparative data in the same period last year:

2014/2015 2015/2016 Change

September 163 + 2* 145 + 2* - 18 + 0*October 211 + 0* 207 + 0* - 4 + 0*November 178 + 2* 181 + 1* + 3 - 1*December 185 + 3* 191 + 1* + 6 – 2*TOTAL 737 + 7* 724 + 4* -13 – 3*

* = Non-Viable Foetus (NVF) ** = Stillborns (STs) *** = Body parts

3. The full profile of where families came from can be seen in Appendix 2. In summary 214 came from Durham, 31 came from Spennymoor and 479 from outside of the area. There has been 4 NVF cremation undertaken for the period covered by this report compared to 7 in the comparable period last year, which is a decrease of 3 NVF and an slight decrease of 13 Cremations.

Memorials

4. The table below outlines the number and value of the memorials sold in the period September to December 2015 compared to the same period the previous year.

(Sep – Dec) 2014/15 (Sep – Dec) 2015/16Number £ Number £

Vase Blocks 6 3,378 9 3,673Large Plaques 42 12,412 29 9,855Small Plaques 3 713 3 612Niche 1 1,088 1 1,477Renewal 18 2,935 51 6,647Total 70 20,526 93 22,264

5. In overall terms the number and value of memorials sold of 93/£22,264, shows an increase of 23 memorials sold and an increase of £1,738 in terms of revenue generated compared to the same period last year.

Operational Matters

Staffing

6. The cleaner employed at the crematorium has now returned from long term sickness and resumed her duties. To ensure we have cover in the cleaners absence we have approached Durham County Council’s facilities management team to provide a Service Level Agreement to assist with the cleaning duties in the future. The cost associated with the SLA is £8,248 which includes all labour and materials. A copy of the SLA is attached at Appendix 3.

7. A member of staff from the crematorium has recently been appointed to a bereavement officer post at Durham County Council, which has created a vacant post of a Crematorium operative. An advert will therefore be placed to recruit to this post in due course, advertised internally within the County Council and Spennymoor Town Council initially.

Green Flag Award

8. Members may recall from the September 2015 meeting that the Central Durham Crematorium was successful in retaining its Green Flag Award for the fourth year running.

9. An application will be submitted for the 2016 Award in January 2016 and progress will be reported back to future meetings. A management plan to maintain the required standards will be updated and any required works will be covered by existing budgets.

Recycling of Metals Scheme

10. The Crematorium has received a further cheque for the recycling of metals from the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management to the sum of £4,321.

11. Arrangements were made for the cheque to be presented to Antenatal Results and Choices by the Committee Chair and Vice Chair. (See Appendix 4).

Christmas Tree

12. For the fifth year running it was agreed that St.Cuthbert’s Hospice could provide a Christmas tree and baubles with a facility for visitors to write a personal message and place it on the Christmas tree with a bauble. This proved to be very popular again with visitors with a number of messages being placed on the tree and a substantial amount of money being donated to St. Cuthbert’s Hospice.

13. St. Cuthbert’s Hospice has requested that they be allowed to continue to provide a Christmas tree again in 2016. The Hospice supplies the tree and decorations at no cost to the Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee.

14. No other requests have been received from any organisation to place a Christmas tree at the Crematorium.

Phase 3 Improvement Works

15. Members may recall from the September 2015 meeting that the final phase of the current improvement works was the replacement of the canopies.

16. Due to delays in the procurement process and the necessary fabrication timescales and factoring in potential weather conditions, the anticipated start date will now be 28 March 2016, with an estimated completion date of 8 August 2016.

Recommendations:

17. It is recommended that Members of the Central Durham Joint Committee:-(i) Note the current performance of the crematorium.(ii) Agree to the SLA with Durham County Council’s facilities management

team for the cleaning services, which will provide additional business continuity and cover for any further periods of absence.

(iii) Note the application for the Green Flag Award 2016.(iv) Note the distribution of recycling income received to the respective

charity.(v) Agree to the provision of a Christmas Tree by St Cutberts Hospice in

2016.(vi) Note the progress with regard to the Phase 3 canopy replacement

works, with work due to commence 28 March 2016.

Contact: Graham Harrison, Bereavement Services Manager Tel: 03000 265606 E-mail: graham.harrison@durham.gov.uk

Appendix 1: Implications

Finance As identified in the report with regards to the position of the Income and the crematorium improvement works.

Staffing As identified in the report.

Risk There are no risk implications associated with this report.

Equality and Diversity / Public Sector Equality DutyThere are no Equality and Diversity implications associated with this report.

AccommodationThe development project will improve customer and staff accommodation.

Crime and DisorderThere are no Crime and Disorder implications associated with this report.

Human RightsThere are no Human Rights implications associated with this report.

ConsultationOfficers of Spennymoor Town Council were consulted on the contents of this report.

ProcurementThere are no procurement issues associated with this report.

Disability IssuesThere are no disability issues associated with this report.

Legal ImplicationsThere are no legal implications associated with this report.

Appendix 2: Breakdown of Figures

Sep Oct Nov Dec Total DURHAM 44 57 56 57 214Alnwick 0Berwick 0BILLINGHAM 0Birmingham 0BIRTLEY 1 1 1 3BISHOP AUCKLAND 4 6 11 4 25BISHOP MIDDLEHAM 2 2BLACKHALL 2 2 4 5 13Boldon 0CHESTER LE STREET 11 13 6 12 42CHESHIRE 0CHILTON 2 1 2 2 7CONSETT 1 1 4 6CORNSAY 1 1COUNDON 0CROOK 5 13 7 4 29DARLINGTON 2 2EASINGTON 4 4 4 2 14ESH WINNING 2 1 2 2 7East Rainton 1 1FENCEHOUSES 1 1 2FERRYHILL 3 6 4 8 21FISHBURN 1 1 1 3 6FROSTERLEY 0GATESHEAD 0GREAT LUMLEY 1 3 4HAMSTERLEY 0HARTLEPOOL 1 1HASWELL 3 1 1 2 7HETTON LE HOLE 1 2 1 3 7HEXHAM 0HORDEN 4 5 2 4 15HOUGHTON 1 3 5 5 14HOWDEN 1 1HUNWICK 2 1 3KIMBLESWORTH 0LANCHESTER 4 1 5LANGLEY PARK 2 2 1 5Lancs. 1 1Lincoln 1 1LUDWORTH 0

Sep Oct Nov Dec Total Malta 0MORPETH 1 1MORROCCO 0MURTON 2 5 1 5 13NETTLESWORTH 0NEW BRANCEPETH 0NEWCASTLE 1 2 3NEWTON AYCLIFFE 4 8 2 3 17NORFOLK 0Northumberland 0Oxford 0OUSTON 1 1PELTON 0PETERLEE 6 13 9 8 36REDCAR 0SACRISTON 4 5 4 3 16Scotland 0SEAHAM 6 6 5 12 29SEDGEFIELD 1 1 5 3 10SHILDON 1 3 2 6SHINEY ROW 0SHOTTON 1 4 4 1 10SOUTH HETTON 1 1 1 3SPENNYMOOR 6 13 6 6 31Southern England 1 1 2STANHOPE 1 1STANLEY 2 1 1 4STATION TOWN 1 1STOCKTON 1 3 4SUNDERLAND 4 1 5SUNNYBROW 1 1 2SWINDON 0THORNLEY 3 2 5TOW LAW 1 1 2TRIMDON 2 1 5 5 13WASHINGTON 1 2 2 5WEST AUCKLAND 1 3 4WEST CORNFORTH 4 4 2 10WHEATLEY HILL 2 3 1 4 10WILLINGTON 1 2 1 3 7WINGATE 2 2 3 7WOLSINGHAM 1 2 2 5Yorkshire 1 1 2Total 145 207 181 191 724

Appendix 3: Service Level Agreement.

Appendix 4: Re-cycling of metals cheque presentation