Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing)

Co-op Funeralcare currently manages Stockport Borough Cemetery, Buxton Road including the crematoria on behalf of the Council as well as providing admin services for burials. The agreements to do this were made in July 2003 and last for a period of twenty years.

Co-op Funeralcare agreed to sell its crematoria business to Dignity Plc in May 2016 following a strategic review of its business activities. Co-operative Funeralcare has asked if the Council will allow Co-op Funeralcare’s commitments under the existing agreements to be transferred to Dignity plc for the remainder of those agreements. If the Council does not want to do this the Co-op Funeralcare will continue with existing managing arrangements until 2023.

The Executive is recommended to approve either option 6.2 or 6.3 above.

Officer contact: Ian O'Donnell, 0161-474-4175, ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to consider options for the management of the Stockport Borough Cemetery and crematoria, Buxton Road in light of the current operator, Co-op Funeralcare, having agreed to sell its crematoria business to Dignity PLC in May 2016. The Executive was invited to consider whether to agree to transfer the contract for services and lease agreements from Co-op Funeralcare to Dignity Funerals or whether to maintain the existing arrangements of Co-op Funeralcare delivering the services for the remainder of the agreement.

The Executive Councillor highlighted that the Environment & Economy Scrutiny Committee had been supportive of the transferring of the contract, and that visits by officers to other facilities operated by Dignity had indicated well managed operations. In light of this, and the desire of the Co-op to withdraw from these arrangements, the Executive Councillor also recommended to the Executive that it agree to transfer of the contracts and leases to Dignity PLC.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to the transfer of the contract for Stockport Borough Cemetery and  crematoria services and lease agreements from Co-op Funeralcare to Dignity Funerals No. 3 Limited (a subsidiary of Dignity Plc), via Newco (Crematoria) 3 Limited as described in the report.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the following options:-

·         the novation of the contract for services and lease agreements from Co-op Funeralcare to Dignity Funerals No. 3 Limited (a subsidiary of Dignity Plc), via Newco (Crematoria) 3 Limited; or

·         continue with the existing arrangements which would see Co-op Funeralcare continue to deliver the services outlined for the remainder of the agreement.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) advising the Scrutiny Committee that Co-operative Funeralcare, who currently managed Stockport Borough Cemetery, including the crematoria on behalf of the Council as well as providing administrative services for burials, had agreed to sell its crematoria business to Dignity Plc in May 2016 following a strategic review of its business activities. Co-operative Funeralcare had asked if the Council would allow its commitments under the existing agreements to be transferred to Dignity plc for the remainder of those agreements. If the Council did not want to do this, Co-operative Funeralcare would continue with the existing management arrangements until 2023 when the existing agreement expired.

The Scrutiny Committee was advised that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council had successfully transferred its agreement from Co-operative Funeralcare to Dignity plc and that the legal process by which the Co-operative’s Funeralcare commitments would be transferred to Dignity plc may be different than as stated in the report.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing) (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Meeting be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the transfer of the contract for services and lease agreements from Co-op Funeralcare to Dignity Funerals No. 3 Limited (a subsidiary of Dignity Plc), via Newco (Crematoria) 3 Limited, as set out in the report.