Agenda item

NOTICE OF MOTION - MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES AND DIGNITY FUNERALS LTD

This Council notes that:-

 

·              Problems persist with the management of several Municipal Cemeteries and funeral services across the Borough, which are contracted out by RMBC to Dignity Funerals.

·              At times poor management and lack of preparation of plots has led to funerals being cancelled at very short notice, causing significant distress to families.

·              Problems with the maintenance of Municipal Cemeteries include:-

 

o     Overgrown grass, weeds and brambles on several sites, making cemeteries look untidy, and covering graves and headstones.

o     Damage to graves, headstones and other cemetery features during cutting due to a mixture of carelessness and the sites being so overgrown that these features are not visible when vegetation is finally cut.

o     Poorly timed cutting of vegetation, for example during flowering season, which has a negative impact on wildlife.

o     Poor facilities on some sites, including lack of access to water, no bins, and few benches, which make it difficult for families to maintain gravesites and spend time in Cemeteries.

 

·              New ‘Friends of…’ groups have repeatedly asked for information on what they can/can’t do, as well as key points of contact, and have still not received this.

·              Volunteers with these ‘Friends of…’ groups put in a significant amount of their own time and effort to maintain cemeteries, at times taking on responsibilities that Dignity Funerals is contractually obliged to carry out but is not doing so.

·              When something goes wrong, residents say they do not have a clear complaints procedure to follow and have felt that their complaints have been dismissed, sometimes repeatedly, by Dignity Funerals.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:-

 

·              Request a detailed improvement plan and works schedule from Dignity Funerals, to be provided to RMBC within two months, and then scrutinised at the earliest opportunity and progress monitored by the Improving Places Select Commission.

·              Request RMBC Bereavement Services provide ‘Friends of…’ groups with clear guidelines, policies, protocols, and key points of contact – ideally in a short handbook – as soon as possible.

·              Request RMBC and Dignity Funerals agree, implement, and publicise a clear and fair complaints procedure within three months.

·              Ask the chair of OSMB to consider how scrutiny can most effectively ensure lessons are learned from the contract between RMBC and Dignity Funerals, including the original contract negotiations and contract management since then.

 

Mover:-  Councillor Thompson                Seconder:-  Councillor Tinsley

Minutes:

It was moved by Councillor Thompson and seconded by Councillor Tinsley that:-

 

This Council notes that:-

 

·        Problems persist with the management of several Municipal Cemeteries and funeral services across the Borough, which are contracted out by RMBC to Dignity Funerals.

·        At times poor management and lack of preparation of plots has led to funerals being cancelled at very short notice, causing significant distress to families.

·        Problems with the maintenance of Municipal Cemeteries include:-

 

o   Overgrown grass, weeds and brambles on several sites, making cemeteries look untidy, and covering graves and headstones.

o   Damage to graves, headstones and other cemetery features during cutting due to a mixture of carelessness and the sites being so overgrown that these features are not visible when vegetation is finally cut.

o   Poorly timed cutting of vegetation, for example during flowering season, which has a negative impact on wildlife.

o   Poor facilities on some sites, including lack of access to water, no bins, and few benches, which make it difficult for families to maintain gravesites and spend time in Cemeteries.

 

·     New ‘Friends of…’ groups have repeatedly asked for information on what they can/can’t do, as well as key points of contact, and have still not received this.

·     Volunteers with these ‘Friends of…’ groups put in a significant amount of their own time and effort to maintain cemeteries, at times taking on responsibilities that Dignity Funerals is contractually obliged to carry out but is not doing so.

·     When something goes wrong, residents say they do not have a clear complaints procedure to follow and have felt that their complaints have been dismissed, sometimes repeatedly, by Dignity Funerals.

 

Therefore, this Council resolves to:-

 

·        Request a detailed improvement plan and works schedule from Dignity Funerals, to be provided to RMBC within two months, and then scrutinised at the earliest opportunity and progress monitored by the Improving Places Select Commission.

·        Request RMBC Bereavement Services provide ‘Friends of…’ groups with clear guidelines, policies, protocols, and key points of contact – ideally in a short handbook – as soon as possible.

·        Request RMBC and Dignity Funerals agree, implement, and publicise a clear and fair complaints procedure within three months.

·        Ask the chair of OSMB to consider how scrutiny can most effectively ensure lessons are learned from the contract between RMBC and Dignity Funerals, including the original contract negotiations and contract management since then.

 

An amendment to the motion from the Labour Group had been received. It was moved by Councillor Alam and seconded by Councillor Hoddinott that the motion be amended as follows:-

 

This Council notes that:

 

·        [Insert] The Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) manage several municipal cemeteries in the borough on behalf of the Council: East Herringthorpe, Cemetery and Crematorium, Greasbrough Lane Cemetery, Greasbrough Town Lane Cemetery, Haugh Road Cemetery, High Street Cemetery, Masbrough Cemetery, Moorgate Cemetery and Wath Cemetery. [to here]

·        [Delete] Problems persist with the management of several Municipal Cemeteries and funeral services across the Borough, which are contracted out by RMBC to Dignity Funerals.

·        [Delete] At times [Insert] There are reports of poor management and lack of preparation of plots has led to funerals being cancelled at very short notice, causing significant distress to families.

·        [Delete] Problems with the maintenance of Municipal Cemeteries include [Insert] The maintenance is further contracted out and there are reports of:

o  Overgrown grass, weeds and brambles on several sites, making cemeteries look untidy, and covering graves and headstones.

o  Damage to graves, headstones and other cemetery features during cutting due to a mixture of carelessness and the sites being so overgrown that these features are not visible when vegetation is finally cut.

o  Poorly timed cutting of vegetation, for example during flowering season, which has a negative impact on wildlife.

o  Poor facilities on some sites, including lack of access to water, no bins, and few benches, which make it difficult for families to maintain gravesites and spend time in Cemeteries.

·        New ‘Friends of…’ groups have repeatedly asked for information on what they can/can’t do, as well as key points of contact, and have still not received this.

·        Volunteers with these ‘Friends of…’ groups put in a significant amount of their own time and effort to maintain cemeteries, at times taking on responsibilities that [Insert] Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) [Delete] Dignity Funerals is contractually obliged to carry out but is not doing so.

·        When something goes wrong, residents say they do not have a clear complaints procedure to follow and have felt that their complaints have been dismissed, sometimes repeatedly, by [Insert] Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) [Delete] Dignity Funerals.

·        [Insert] That the Cabinet Member has led on requiring improvements in the contract from the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG).  That has included a regular contract management process, better recognition of equality needs including longer times for short-notice burials, and improvements to the facilities at East Herringthorpe.

·        That there have been extensive scrutiny session looking at the contract, including by Improving Places in September 2021, September 2020, February, June and December 2019, January and July 2018, site visits in 2017 and September and December 2016.

·        There is an Performance Management Framework which identifies key areas for improvement and contract management process with the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) and this goes at least annually to Scrutiny. This process has led to improvements in relation to: free child burials across all types of services, longer opening hours at the Crematorium, physical improvements to the Crematorium, and lower cost headstone maintenance. The Improving Places Select Commission may wish to look at this in more detail, noting that their last recommendation in September was for it be looked at again in 12 months.

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

·        [Delete] Request a detailed improvement plan and works schedule from Dignity Funerals, to be provided to RMBC within two months, and then scrutinised at the earliest opportunity and progress monitored by the Improving Places Select Commission.

·        Request [Delete] RMBC Bereavement Services [Insert] Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) provide ‘Friends of…’ groups with clear guidelines, policies, protocols, and key points of contact – ideally in a short handbook – as soon as possible.

·        Request [Insert] Crematoria and memorial Group (CMG) publicise their complaint process at the sites, and that Councillors use the casework system for resident’s concerns.  [Delete] RMBC and Dignity Funerals agree, implement, and publicise a clear and fair complaints procedure within three months.

·        [Insert] That scrutiny members on OSMB are provided with the minutes of previous scrutiny sessions with the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG), and that all members are invited to the next planned Improving Places scrutiny session on municipal cemeteries. 

·        [Delete] Ask the chair of OSMB to consider how scrutiny can most effectively ensure lessons are learned from the contract between RMBC and Dignity Funerals, including the original contract negotiations and contract management since then.

 

The amendment was put and carried and became the substantive motion.

 

The substantive motion now read:-

 

This Council notes that:

 

·        The Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) manage several municipal cemeteries in the borough on behalf of the Council: East Herringthorpe, Cemetery and Crematorium, Greasbrough Lane Cemetery, Greasbrough Town Lane Cemetery, Haugh Road Cemetery, High Street Cemetery, Masbrough Cemetery, Moorgate Cemetery and Wath Cemetery.

·        There are reports of poor management and lack of preparation of plots has led to funerals being cancelled at very short notice, causing significant distress to families.

·       The maintenance is further contracted out and there are reports of:

o  Overgrown grass, weeds and brambles on several sites, making cemeteries look untidy, and covering graves and headstones.

o  Damage to graves, headstones and other cemetery features during cutting due to a mixture of carelessness and the sites being so overgrown that these features are not visible when vegetation is finally cut.

o  Poorly timed cutting of vegetation, for example during flowering season, which has a negative impact on wildlife.

o  Poor facilities on some sites, including lack of access to water, no bins, and few benches, which make it difficult for families to maintain gravesites and spend time in Cemeteries.

 

·        New ‘Friends of…’ groups have repeatedly asked for information on what they can/can’t do, as well as key points of contact, and have still not received this.

·        Volunteers with these ‘Friends of…’ groups put in a significant amount of their own time and effort to maintain cemeteries, at times taking on responsibilities that Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) is contractually obliged to carry out but is not doing so.

·        When something goes wrong, residents say they do not have a clear complaints procedure to follow and have felt that their complaints have been dismissed, sometimes repeatedly, by Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG).

·        That the Cabinet Member has led on requiring improvements in the contract from the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG). That has included a regular contract management process, better recognition of equality needs including longer times for short-notice burials, and improvements to the facilities at East Herringthorpe.

·        That there have been extensive scrutiny sessions looking at the contract, including by Improving Places in September 2021, September 2020, February, June and December 2019, January and July 2018, site visits in 2017 and September and December 2016.

·        There is an Performance Management Framework which identifies key areas for improvement and contract management process with the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) and this goes at least annually to Scrutiny. This process has led to improvements in relation to: free child burials across all types of services, longer opening hours at the Crematorium, physical improvements to the Crematorium, and lower cost headstone maintenance. The Improving Places Select Commission may wish to look at this in more detail, noting that their last recommendation in September was for it be looked at again in 12 months.

Therefore, this Council resolves to:

 

·        Request Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) provide ‘Friends of…’ groups with clear guidelines, policies, protocols, and key points of contact – ideally in a short handbook – as soon as possible.

·        Request that Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG) publicise their complaint process at the sites, and that Councillors use the casework system for resident’s concerns.

·        That scrutiny members on OSMB are provided with the minutes of previous scrutiny sessions with the Crematoria and Memorial Group (CMG), and that all members are invited to the next planned Improving Places scrutiny session on municipal cemeteries. 

 

On being put to the vote, the motion was declared as carried by the majority.