Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Councillor David Payne.

There were no declarations of interests notified.

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda marked as Part 1 would be considered in public.

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 July 2012 were agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman.

Service users/stakeholders

The Chairman welcomed five service users-stakeholders who had attended the meeting as witnesses.

To help Members with their review were two representatives who gave their views about issues relating to Cherry Lane Cemetery (CLC) and three about issues regarding West Draytron Cemetery (WDC).

Issues raised included:

• Whether breaches against the required size of headstones and installation of private benches would be enforced and suggested that benches could be numbered so that the owners could be traced.
• From the experience of a witness at WDC, currently it took a great deal of fuss and time to have broken benches removed
• Concerns about consistency in requiring the removal of inappropriate surrounds on gravestones, as at present some people had complied where they had been requested to remove certain surroundings, and those who had not, had not been challenged
• Would like confirmation that policies and rules  in place would be firmly applied, and to know that action or enforcement would be taken when they are breached – as this was currently not happening
• Requested some form of Working Group or Committee that would ensure that work undertaken at cemeteries were done continuously
• Would like to set up a ‘Friends of West Drayton Cemetery, to ensure that on-going required works were not abandoned – as at present, no money was being spent on the cemetery and individuals had had to repeatedly make request for things to be done
• Initially, checks were regularly made at WDC but this was not thoroughly undertaken – there was a need for more that one man to dig graves as well as maintain WDC, particularly when machinery was used
• Concerns about drains at WDC being covered up by grass and puddles freezing up in the winter, which may lead to health and safety issues to visitors
• Road sweeping undertaken at WDC only 4 times a year and the road was in need of resurfacing
• Suggested that the toilets at WDC, which had been closed should be refurbished and re-opened for at least a trial period
• Concerns about the drive-in area outside WDC which was being used by drivers as a lay-by and regularly strewn with rubbish
• Concerns about lorries constantly driving into the front of the cemetery and damaging the grass verge
• Concerns that maintenance equipment was not properly stored in the allocated area at WDC
• Concerns about the different types of kerb stones at CLC
•  That although a footpath had now been installed in the top part of CLC, the area was regularly flooded
• Questioned how it was that the soil was used to top-up graves at CLC and not used to top-up the footpaths
• Concerns about planted trees being allowed to grow out of control and disrupt adjacent graves
• Concerns about safety issues as potholes were covered by grass
• From the experience of a witness at CLC, the first impression on arrival was one of pot holes within drive ways, uneven land and grass scattered around
• Expressed particular concerns about maintenance issues in CLC, such as taps  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

The Committee agreed the Work Programme for 2012/13.

The Committee agreed the Forward Plan.

At the RESPOC meeting held on 30 July 2012, the Committee request officers to provide figures for complaints received in respect of the Council’s cemeteries and burial grounds within Hillingdon. A summary of the complaints figures were subsequently circulated separately to Members prior to the meeting.

During discussion, it was noted that the largest number of complaints received were regarding issues relating to Cherry Lane cemetery.

Officers advised that complaints were now being recorded through the Council’s Onyx system. In addition, it was noted that two separate numbers were now being publicised to separate queries relating to Green Spaces “green and grows” and issues relating to “burial”. It was anticipated that this separation would make it easier for residents reporting complaints and easier to follow-up queries.