The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “AY”) which sets out a petition against consideration of Littlemoor Park as a site for a new crematorium which was received by Full Council on 15 January 2019 and referred for consideration to the Executive.

The petition relates to the inclusion of Littlemoor Park as one of 2 sites under consideration for the building of a new crematorium to replace the facility at Scholemoor cemetery. 

Recommended –

It is recommended that the Executive:-

(1)          Note receipt of the petition and its content.

(2)          Instruct the Director of Place to ensure that the contents of the petition are considered within the current Feasibility Study

(3)          Instruct the Director of Place to include the petition as part of the future report presenting recommendations for the potential locations to build crematoria in line with the Bereavement Strategy.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Regeneration and Environment 

(Phil Barker -01274 432616)

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “AY”) which set out a petition against consideration of Littlemoor Park as a site for a new crematorium which was received by Full Council on 15 January 2019 and referred for consideration to the Executive.

The petition related to the inclusion of Littlemoor Park as one of 2 sites under consideration for the building of a new crematorium to replace the facility at Scholemoor cemetery. 

The Leisure Services Business Manager stated that Littlemoor Park was one of the sites identified within the Bereavement Strategy and that the Executive confirmed last month its intentions to retain options upon other sites, Littlemoor Park being one, until at least receipt of the full feasibility report. 

There had been no material change in circumstances to suggest that removal from the list at this stage could be anything but prejudicial to the Council’s overall aim to provide a fit for purpose crematoria service, and it is for these reasons that the option to withdraw Littlemoor Park from the list of sites is not recommended at this time.

The Lead Petitioner was present at the meeting and made the following points:

·         That pursuing this process not only exposes the Trustees and the Council to reputational risk, it destroys the legitimacy of any protective deeds, site statuses or the opinions of the Charity’s beneficiaries.

·         That using Littlemoor as a site for a cremation service would not only cause reputational risk and financial damage to the Council, you can add to that a complete loss of trust and confidence in the Council as well as the Trustees of the Park.

·         That from a commercial perspective, keeping Littlemoor on the list would offer leverage in negotiations with the private site owner but this would be at the expense of the community.

·         That the Executive confirmed last month to retain options upon other sites, with Littlemoor being one of them and despite highlighting constraints in out petition that weren’t’ considered in the feasibility study, and despite local support, it states in the report that there had been no material change.

·         That in the context of all that has been said, and all the constraints allude to Littlemmoor should be removed from the list of sites.

The Leader stated that the Executive would not be the sole decision maker as ultimately the trustees would make the decision if the site were to progress.

The Healthy People and Place Portfolio Holder thanked the petitioners for raising the concerns and that these concerns would be looked at it detail.  She stated that there was a need to replace outdated crematoria for the future of the district; adding that the feasibility will look at the feasibility of all the sites and until such time as the feasibility study is completed, Littlemoor Park will remain on the list of potential sites.

Resolved–

(1)          Executive notes the receipt of the petition and its content.

(2)          Executive instructs the Strategic Director Place to ensure that the contents of the petition are considered within the current Feasibility Study.

(3)          Executive instructs the Strategic Director Place to include the petition as part of the future report presenting recommendations for the potential locations to build crematoria in line with the Bereavement Strategy.

ACTION: Strategic Director Place

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Regeneration and Environment