Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks & Leisure Services.

The report details a proposal to seek delegated approval to implement new arrangements for managing the borough’s bereavement services.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1) Delegate responsibility for the review of options to the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services.

(2) Delegate responsibility to award any contract to the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services.

Officer contact: Ian O'Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: Ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk.

The Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks & Leisure Services (Councillor Grace Baynham) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated)  detailing a proposal to seek delegated approval to implement new arrangements for managing the borough’s bereavement services.

RESOLVED - (1) That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services in relation to responsibility for the review of options.

(2) That authority be delegated to the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services for the award of any contract.

To consider a report of the Director of Place Management.

The report details a proposal to seek delegated approval to implement new arrangements for managing the borough’s bereavement services.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Ian O'Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: Ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk.

The Director of Place Management submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal to seek delegated approval to implement new arrangements for managing the borough’s bereavement services.

·         An agreement had been reached with a provider of bereavement services in 2003 which had not allowed the Council to benefit from memorialisation as it should have done and nor did it have complete control over the cremators and the condition of the cremators.

·         It was noted that the current service was poor with only one cremator out of three working within the borough and residents having to wait up to six weeks for a funeral.

·         It was proposed that a tendering exercise be carried out to provide a single team for the provision of bereavement services which would be tested to ensure tight controls and service standards would be met.

·         If the Council could not be satisfied of such controls and standards, it was suggested that the Council could provide those services in-house;

·         Any service provider should be able to cover its own costs, but should not profiteer from bereavement.

·         It was suggested that it would not be sensible to enter into a further 20 year contract in the light of the Council’s experience with the current contract.

·         The provision of bereavement services was considered to be specialist and might be expensive for the Council to provide in-house.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.