Agenda item - Life Events Fees and Charges 2017/18

Report of the Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law (copy attached).

106.1      RESOLVED – That the Committee:

1)     Approves a general inflationary increase of 2% on all Life Events fees and Charges for the financial year 2017/18 save for the exceptions set out at 2.2 below;. 

2)     Approves a proposal to increase Bereavement Services burial charges  by 5%, Registration Services fees and charges by 5%, and a proposed increase of £5.00 on each Local Land Charges search fee for the financial year  2017/18 as detailed in Appendices 1 - 3.

106.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law in relation to Life Events Fees and Charges 2017/18. The report set out the proposed fees and charges for the financial year 2017/18 for Bereavement Services, Registration Services and Local Land Charges within Life Events, in Strategy Governance & Law (SGL).

106.2      In response to Councillor Wealls it was clarified that benchmarking had been undertaken against the same group of authorities, to assist in setting the fees in recent years, usually this was neighbouring authorities; however, an agreed methodology for selecting benchmarking authorities could be agreed for future years.

106.3      In relation to Councillor Mac Cafferty’s specific questions about Bereavement Services fees and charges, it was agreed that the full responses would be provided after the meeting.

106.4      Councillor A. Norman commended the excellent service in Bereavement Services, and she noted that the staff were very caring. She welcomed the reference in the report that proposed no charges be introduced for burial or cremation of children.

106.5      The Chair put the recommendations to the vote.

106.6      RESOLVED – That the Committee:

1)     Approves a general inflationary increase of 2% on all Life Events fees and Charges for the financial year 2017/18 save for the exceptions set out at 2.2 below;. 

2)     Approves a proposal to increase Bereavement Services burial charges  by 5%, Registration Services fees and charges by 5%, and a proposed increase of £5.00 on each Local Land Charges search fee for the financial year  2017/18 as detailed in Appendices 1 - 3.