Issue - meetings

This report requests Members to review the previous decision and confirm their approval to install mercury abatement equipment and respond to the statutory direction accordingly.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to defer decision on this item until the next meeting in order that further information on cremator breakdowns, including past trends, can be obtained.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure a fully informed decision is made.

Members received a report which advised them that the Council had received a further statutory direction from DEFRA (Department of Food, Environment and Rural affairs) under the Environmental Permitting  (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. This direction required the Council, by 31^st October 2008, to notify DEFRA of their intentions with respect to the fitting of mercury abatement equipment, the number of cremations covered by the abatement, and the steps in place to have it operational by 2012. The report requested Members to review its previous decision taken in June 2006 and confirm its approval to install mercury abatement equipment and submit a formal declaration to DEFRA.

The report presented the following options for consideration:

(a)               Option A – To do nothing. This would place the Council in breach of its statutory obligations.

(b)               Option B – To seek a trading agreement through the CAMEO (Cremation Abatement of Mercury Emissions Organisation) scheme.

(c)               Option C – Install abatement equipment to deal with 50% of cremations.

(d)               Option D – Install abatement equipment to deal with 100% of cremations and remove one cremator, so as to install the equipment.

(e)               Option E – Install abatement equipment to deal with 100% of cremations and retain 3 cremators.

Members discussed the issues surrounding this decision in detail. Concern was raised that if one cremator was removed in order to install the equipment this may cause problems if either of the remaining cremators were to break down. If this was the case, there was doubt over whether York Crematorium would be able to continue to provide a full service.

In response to questions regarding the frequency of breakdowns, officers explained that minor breakdowns of the type that could be resolved quickly were frequent however major breakdowns were very rare as there was a maintenance contract which meant that the cremators were serviced on a regular basis.

Members agreed that only having two cremators would reduce flexibility and put pressure on the remaining two cremators. They agreed that more information regarding how often breakdowns occurred and the severity of them was needed before they could make a decision. Officers agreed to bring a report to the next meeting with the information requested. ¹

In response to a suggestion from a Member regarding green burials, officers agreed to investigate this option. ²

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to defer decision on this item until the next meeting in order that further information on past trends, breakdowns etc can be obtained.

Decision of the Executive Member:

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To ensure a fully informed decision is made.