Agenda item

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Kerr)

 

Report of Corporate Director (Community Services).

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Kerr)

 

The Corporate Director (Community Services) submitted a report prepared as part of the 2009/10 estimate procedure, which set out options for increasing the level of fees and charges.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment, were set out in the report as follows:

 

The options to Members include:

 

(i)        To approve either the 2%, 5% or 10% increase in fees for Health & Strategic Housing charges.

 

(ii)       To approve a different % increase.

      

(iii)  To approve an increase to £25.00 (with a reduction to £12.50 for those in receipt of Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit) for rats, mice and flea treatments.

 

(iv)  To approve the fees for rats, mice and fleas in line with the other increases or a different amount.

 

(v)   To approve an increase of £100 in the base Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB) fee.

 

(vi)  To approve the proposed fees and charges for the provision of new cemetery services.

 

The Officer preferred option is (i) 5% increase, (iii), (v) and (vi) for reasons set out in the report.

 

It was moved by Councillor Kerr and seconded by Councillor Archer:

 

“(1)      That the Health & Strategic Housing fees in Appendix 1 to the report should be increased by 5% with the exception of the fees for rats, mice and fleas and the fee for Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB).

 

(2)               That the fees for rats, mice and fleas are increased to £25.00 with a reduction to £12.50 for customers in receipt of Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit.

 

(3)               That the EROB base fee is increased by £100 to reflect the costs of maintaining cemeteries and bring our charges in line with most other Councils.

 

(4)               That Cabinet agrees to the introduction of new charges for cremated remains, memorial vaults and reduced EROB fee for purchased baby graves at 50% of the adult fee applicable at the time of purchase.”

 

By way of amendment to (3) above, it was moved by Councillor Barry and seconded by Councillor Gilbert:

 

“That the EROB base fee is increased by 5%.”

 

2 Members (Councillors Barry and Gilbert) voted in favour of the amendment and 7 Members (Councillors Archer, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Charles, Kerr and Mace) voted against, whereupon the Chairman declared the amendment to be lost.

 

It was further proposed by Councillor Mace and seconded by Councillor Burns:

 

“(5)      That the decisions in (1)-(4) are made subject to budget considerations”.

 

Members then voted as follows on each recommendation in turn:-

 

Resolved:

 

(8 Members (Councillors Archer, Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Charles, Kerr and Mace) voted in favour and 1 Member (Councillor Gilbert) abstained)

 

(1)        That the Health & Strategic Housing fees in Appendix 1 to the report should be increased by 5% with the exception of the fees for rats, mice and fleas and the fee for Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB).

 

Resolved:

 

(6 Members (Councillors Archer, Barry, Blamire, Bryning Burns and Kerr) voted in favour and 3 Members (Councillors Charles, Gilbert and Mace) abstained)

 

(2)               That the fees for rats, mice and fleas are increased to £25.00 with a reduction to £12.50 for customers in receipt of Council Tax and/or Housing Benefit.

 

Resolved:

 

(6 Members (Councillors Archer, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Kerr and Mace) voted in favour, 2 Members (Councillors Barry and Gilbert) voted against and 1 Member (Councillor Charles) abstained)

 

(3)               That the EROB base fee is increased by £100 to reflect the costs of maintaining cemeteries and bring our charges in line with most other Councils.

 

Resolved:

 

(8 Members (Councillors Archer, Barry, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Gilbert, Kerr and Mace) voted in favour and 1 Member (Councillor Charles) abstained)

 

(4)               That Cabinet agrees to the introduction of new charges for cremated remains, memorial vaults and reduced EROB fee for purchased baby graves at 50% of the adult fee applicable at the time of purchase.

 

Resolved:

 

(6 members (Councillors Archer, Blamire, Bryning, Burns, Charles and Mace) voted in favour, 2 Members (Councillors Barry and Gilbert) voted against and 1 Member (Councillor Kerr) abstained)

 

(5)               That the decisions in (1)-(4) are made subject to budget considerations.

 

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Corporate Director (Community Services)

Head of Health and Strategic Housing

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

The decision will generate additional income, bring the Exclusive Right of Burial charges in line with most other councils and provide new cemetery services.