Agenda and minutes

Apologies for non-attendance were received from Councillors Wendy Brackenbury, Andy Mercer, Gill Mercer and Lee Wilkes.  Councillor Tom Partridge-Underwood attended as a substitute member.

The Chair invited those who wished to do so to declare any interests in respect of items on the agenda.

There had been no requests to address the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 28 February 2023 be approved as a correct record and signed.

There had been no requests for call-in.

The Scrutiny Commission considered a report of the Assistant Director of Regulatory Services which set out the current position as to green burial options in North Northamptonshire.

Full Council, at its meeting on 24 November 2022, approved the following motion:

“This Council resolves to scrutinise the current options for residents to choose a green burial in North Northamptonshire.  Further, to develop a Green Burial Ground Policy to enable appropriate guidance to be given to interested operators with potential areas identified.”

Currently within North Northamptonshire there was an area dedicated to green burials at Rothwell Cemetery and a woodland ashes scattering area at Warren Hill Crematorium.  The current capacity and uptake at the green burial ground at Rothwell was:

•      113 plots

•      68 internments

•      2 internments expected per year

During discussion on the report, the following key points were made:

i.     The Rothwell site had not been developed in any way and was not conducive to peaceful reflection. It needed to be made more attractive.

ii.    People did not know what options were available in relation to green burials.

iii.   It was suggested that a task and finish group should be established to take this work forward, including talking to residents and undertakers etc.

iv.   There was already a flourishing private market for green burials, and it was not for the local authority to provide competition in this area.

v.    Funeral directors were the gate keepers for burials and if more green burial options were available locally, uptake may be higher.  There were a lot of unknowns around green burials and we should undertake future work to explore whether this was an area NNC should develop.

vi.   Members welcomed the report as a good start, but it took no account of the parishes who had their own green burial sites, e.g. Bozeat.

vii.  It was noted that funeral directors in Thrapston were actively encouraging local farmers for burial sites and there was currently a planning application in for a green burial site.

viii. Officers confirmed that more could be done to maximise this area, and this would be looked at as part of the Service Plan which was about to be developed. 

It was moved by Councillor Jim Hakewill and seconded by Councillor Valerie Anslow that a task and finish group be established to inform and develop a green burial policy.  On being put to the vote, the motion was approved.

RESOLVED:

To establish a task and finish group to inform and develop a green burial policy.

Members are requested, where possible, to identify those area they wish to understand in further detail with the report author at least three working days prior to the meeting.

The Scrutiny Commission considered a report of the Executive Director of Finance and Performance which provided an update on the Council’s performance across a wide range of services, as measured by performance indicators.  The report provided a summary of the performance of Council services and further detail including trend lines and exception reports. 

Comments on several specific indicators were made, including:

•      Number of E-Scooter trips (GSE01) – were accidents on e-scooters reported to the Police? 

•      Would data on the take up of green waste collections be included in the future?  The Interim Head of Performance, Intelligence and Partnerships undertook to take the comment away about whether it would be included.

•      Was information on the number of insurance claims for damage to vehicles, the number of successful claims and the amount paid in compensation available?

RESOLVED:

To note the performance of the Council and its services.

The Chair thanked members and officers for their attendance and closed the meeting.

The meeting closed at 8.17pm.