Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment

The Cabinet Member Clean and Green Environment introduced the report. He was delighted that he was able to bring this report to Council and he gave thanks to the excellent team of officers who had made a tremendous input to the project. He also acknowledged the contribution made by Councillors Reid, McCloskey and Ryder as members of the Cabinet Member working group who had been a very useful sounding board to himself and the rest of the team.

The Cabinet Member explained that it had been acknowledged that investment was needed to improve public facilities and in particular, the reliability of the cremators at Cheltenham’s cemetery and crematorium. This follows the poor quality cremator installation which took place in 2011, during which the main contractor went into liquidation, leaving a number of authorities with sub-standard equipment issues. At this point he thanked the scrutiny task group which had produced an excellent report on the issues. To ensure that the best solution was secured, architects Robert Potter and Partners were commissioned to look at a number of options ranging from installing new cremators in the current building, to building a new chapel and crematorium. The options identified were diverse and had different operational, customer service and financial implications.

The report set out the results of the detailed public consultation process in addition to the member seminars which had been held. The Cabinet Member reported that there had been an overwhelming response in favour of option E. He explained that very detailed work had been undertaken on the business case for Option E and having assessed and benchmarked Cheltenham’s charges and level of service against other local providers there was scope for increasing fees to cover the cost of the borrowing required to invest in a new facility on land currently identified for expansion of the cemetery site.

In summing up the Cabinet Member acknowledged that this was an ambitious project but was considered to be the best approach to secure the long term success and viability of the service.

Members praised the work done in bringing this project to this stage, in particular the way that officers had engaged with members of the public in the consultation which was reflected in the consultation responses. They welcomed the prospect of an enhanced, fit for purpose facility which would benefit Cheltenham residents and those in surrounding areas. Key officers at the crematorium were praised for their professionalism. The valuable work of the cross party Cabinet Member working group was also recognised.

Whilst Members supported the financial implications of Option E they did however emphasise the importance of keeping project costs under close scrutiny.  In response to this the Cabinet Member reported that the Cabinet Member working group would maintain a role in monitoring this.

RESOLVED (unanimously)

To allocate the budgets for financing Option E as detailed in Appendix 4 (exempt).