Issue - meetings

Memorial Gardens

Meeting: 12/01/2023 - Joint Strategic Sub-Committee (Worthing) (Item 53)

53 Memorial Gardens pdf icon PDF 11 MB

Minutes:

Before the Committee was a report by the Director for Communities, presented by the Cabinet Member for Resources, copies of which had been circulated to all Members and a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes as Item 8.

 

The report outlined the investment required to enable the service to develop the memorial garden at Worthing Crematorium, which will add heritage value to the site through the conservation of the Muntham Court hard landscaping. 

 

Worthing Crematorium had filled all its private garden interment plots and required investment to deliver further plots to meet demand. It was detailed for Members that sustainable design for the benefit of biodiversity lay at the heart of the garden plan. Funding would be approved and the second phase of procuring a construction partner and construction will proceed. 

 

Members were provided details of the project and the costs and the income generating potential and why the Memorial Gardens were a heritage site of significance and why it was important to conserve some of the historic elements of the grounds in any development of the site.

 

The Cabinet Member for the Environment presented an update to 1.3 to the Executive Summary to the report and stated that "The policy actions in this report demonstrates the Council's commitment to address the climate and ecological emergencies. At the heart of the memorial garden plan is a sustainable design to ensure resilience to climate change impacts and for the benefit of biodiversity."

 

There were two amendments to recommendations 2.1 and 2.2 in the report which were proposed seconded and unanimously approved.

 

Decision

 

That the Worthing Joint Strategic Sub-Committee

 

a)     Recommended that Full Council create a new capital budget of £315,000 funded through prudential borrowing with total repayment costs of £407,940 over the lifetime of the project which will be funded from the income generated by the sales of the memorials and to delegate to the Director for Communities authority to procure and enter into all necessary contracts (in consultation with the Cabinet Member) for the delivery of the memorial garden and repairs to the Munthan Estate Walls as incorporated in the design providing always the spend is within the approved budget.

 

b)     Authorised the annual revenue growth of on average £51,061 for Bereavement Services to deliver this investment. This revenue growth will form part of the sales in the memorial garden which are estimated to provide an annual average profit margin of £151,568 or return on investment ratio of 3.96%. 

 

c)     Noted that Worthing Crematorium has limited land available for further development after this new memorial garden and the lifespan of the garden is estimated to be limited to five years for duo gardens and 10 years for quad gardens. If this development continues to be the success it is. Further investment in additional land and landscaping will be required