Agenda item - Life Events Fees & Charges 2018/19

Report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law

That Policy, Resources & Growth Committee

1)           Approves a general inflationary increase of 2% on all Life Events fees and Charges for the financial year 2018/19 save for the exceptions set out at 2.2 and 2.3 below.

2)           Approves a proposal to maintain Bereavement Services adult cremation fees at their current levels.

3)           Approves a re-alignment of Registration Services fees as set out in Appendix 2 which, overall, are anticipated to protect and possibly increase current business levels.

85.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law that set out the proposed fees and charges for 2018/19 for Bereavement Services, Registration Services and Local Land Charges.

85.2      Councillor Mac Cafferty enquired as to the rationale behind the 41% decrease in webcasting charge for Registration Services and noted the 12% rise in Pauper’s funerals that was noted accounted for in the budget lines and asked how a potential continued increase would be accounted for.

85.3      The Head of Life Events & Electoral Services answered that the purpose of the reduction in webcasting fee was to encourage increased use of the service adding that any potential increase in Welfare funerals would be closely monitored and careful consideration given to budgeting in future years.

85.4      In relation to Local Land Charges, Councillor Gibson asked if he could be provided actual income figures for the first nine months of this year against the same period for the previous year and the projected income for this year against the actual for the previous year. On the same matter, Councillor Gibson asked for precise detail of the changes in business levels and why it had been concluded that this was a causal link.

85.5      The Head of Life Events & Electoral Services explained that the number of searches had decreased compared to previous years that was a reflection of a number of issues and was a difficult area to predict as it related to the fluctuations of the property market. The Head of Life Events & Electoral Services stated the precise income figures requested by Councillor Gibson could be provided in a written response after the meeting.

85.6      RESOLVED- That Policy, Resources & Growth Committee

1)           Approves a general inflationary increase of 2% on all Life Events fees and Charges for the financial year 2018/19 save for the exceptions set out at 2.2 and 2.3 below.

2)           Approves a proposal to maintain Bereavement Services adult cremation fees at their current levels.

3)           Approves a re-alignment of Registration Services fees as set out in Appendix 2 which, overall, are anticipated to protect and possibly increase current business levels.