The minutes of the CEMETERY COMMITTEE held on 9th June 2008 at
The Parish Office 3 Gorringe Valley Road Willingdon BN20 9SX.

PRESENT - Councillor Linda Francis (LF) (Chairman),
Councillors: Bonnie Beck (BB), John Pritchett (JP), Trish Delaney (TD),
Yvonne Puttee (YP), Sandra Fullman (SF), Stephen Shing (SS), John Martin (JM)


Also present:-
The Clerk - Carol Adams (CA)
Mrs Ruth Banks - Cemetery Superintendent

CE08/34 Apologies and Substitutes
Cllr Daniel Shing

CE 08/35 Councillors not present
Cllr Colin Laycock

CE 08/36 Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 7th April 2008 were agreed at the Annual Council Meeting.

CE 08/37 Declaration of Interests
None

CE 08/38 Matters Arising from these minutes not otherwise on the agenda
a) Memorial Trees - Plaque cost
The Clerk asked Members for a decision as to whether the Memorial tree fees
should include the cost of the plaque.
Members agreed that the cost of the plaque comes out of the fees.

CE 08/39 Cemetery Superintendent's Report
The Clerk gave the Cemetery Superintendent Mrs Banks report for the period
1st April 2008 to 9th June 2008

Total 7
Parishioners 0
Non-Parishioners 7
Consecrated 5
General 2

Of these:
Re-open 3
Cremated remains 1

Garden of Remembrance
Total 4 entries
Parishioners 0
Non-Parishioners 1
Re-opens 1 Parishioner
Internments 2

The income from 1/04/08 - 9/6/08 £8,759.50

CE 08/40 Cemetery Drainage
Cllr Pritchett advised Members that he met the contractor at the Cemetery and discussed the issue of excess water from the car park to the new footpath. Cllr
Pritchett advised it needs a thin drain along the new path to join with the drain
already there. The Committee decided to accept the quote from P. Crocombe as
this contractor has done all the previous drainage work in the cemetery.
Members agreed to dismiss getting 3 quotes. Item to be put to Finance and
Policy for agreement.

Resolved:
To accept P Crocombe's quote of £2660 plus VAT and to forward to Finance
and Policy for agreement. and to dismiss getting further two quotes.
Proposed Cllr John Pritchett, seconded Cllr Linda Francis, unanimously
Agreed.

Clerk to put on Finance and Policy agenda and make provisional date with
P. Crocombe for work to be carried out, then to confirm if Finance and Policy
agree quote.

CE 08/41 Cemetery Maintenance
a) Fence and Hawthorn bushes - Site visit
The Clerk advised that the fence line has gaps in it and may need some work.
Members decided to arrange a site visit for 16th June 2008 and discuss
at next meeting.

CE 08/42 Graves Maintenance
The Clerk advised Members that complaints had been received about grass on headstones after grass cutting. The Clerk had received a quote of £100 per clean
for cleaning by the contractors, which could be done monthly or bi-monthly and
could be only done between April and September. Members discussed the issue
and decided not to take up the cleaning, but to add blowing/cleaning of grass
from headstones onto the tender agreement when next due. Clerk to diary for
next tender renewal.

CE 08/43 Garden of Remembrance
The Clerk advised the Committee that the wall of the Garden of Remembrance
is once again collapsing and needs repairing. Members agreed to look at when
attending the site on Monday 16th June 2008 and discuss at next meeting. .
Members should be considering the development of the new Garden of
Remembrance on the left hand side of the Cemetery from the entrance to the
Cemetery hut. Members agreed to look at when attending the site on Monday
16th June 2008 and discuss at next meeting.
The Clerk reminded Members to please look at other Gardens of Remembrance,
in order to get some ideas of what style layout could be achieved, and report
back at next meeting.

CE 08/44 Grave Digging
No problems

CE 08/45 Cemetery rules and regulations
Members scrutinised the rules and regulations and made amendments.
Clerk to make necessary alterations and circulate to Members for agreement
at next meeting.

a) Line markers
Members agreed that this item should be added in to the Rules and Regulations,
Requesting that people keep within the boundary of the grave. Clerk to add.

b) Lifetime of grave plots
The Clerk advised that the deed states 75 years. Members discussed the issue
and decided to leave the term as is at present.

c) Plants on corners or edges of graves
The Clerk advised of a complaint received that plants that had been planted on
the corner of a grave had been cut whilst grass cutting. Members decided to put
in Rules and Regulations that no plants to be placed on edges or corners due to
grass cutting/strimming. Clerk to add to Rules and Regulations.

CE 08/46 Ground Consecration
The Clerk advised Members that a decision needs to be made as to what
additional ground requires consecration. Members agreed to look at issue on the
site visit and report back at next meeting.
Clerk to continue with process once area for consecration determined.
The Clerk updated Members reference additional ground see CE08/49 a) & b)
below.

CE 08/47 Memorial seats
The Clerk advised Members that Memorial seats have to be maintained regularly
which is charged to the Parish Council. The Clerk asked Members if a figure
should be added when seats are installed to cover maintenance. Members
discussed the issue and agreed for £100 to be added to cover any maintenance
and that the Parish Council would maintain the seat for the life of the seat.
Clerk to ensure maintenance cost is added.

Resolved:
To add £100 to cost of seat for maintenance for the life of the seat.
Proposed Cllr Linda Francis, Seconded Cllr John Pritchett, unanimously
Agreed.

CE 08/48 Cremated remains
The Clerk advised she had a request for a grave for the use of cremated remains.
There are only 5 grave spaces left that could be used for cremated remains,
which are actually held as children's graves. The Clerk asked the Committee if
they wish to allocate an additional area in the Cemetery for small graves for
children and cremated remains. Members agreed to look at issue on the site visit
and discuss at next meeting.

CE 08/49 Additional land for Cemetery
a) Eastbourne Borough Councils land adjoining Cemetery
The Clerk advised Members of previous correspondence with EBC where they
would not consent to the allocation/sale of land. A further letter agreed to future
talks as long as new information/requests were brought to the table. The Clerk
advised that as nothing had changed since this letter, it would be pointless to
write again until we have new reasons. Members agreed to postpone for now.

b) Land behind house right of Cemetery
The Clerk advised that there is a house to the right of the Cemetery with a large
amount of seemingly unused land. Members agreed to look at during site visit
and discuss at next meeting.

CE 08/50 Any other business - for noting or referral to next Agenda for
Council or appropriate Committee
None

Meeting Closed at 9.25 p.m.