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RESOLVED:

1.   
Noted the proposed budget of £9.4 million (m) for
construction of a new public mortuary.

2.   
Authorised procurement of works for the new public
mortuary.

3.   
Approved the Business Plan at Appendix A.

4.   
Approved a one-off revenue budget of £0.125m to cover
service transition costs.

5.   
Authorised the Director Legal & Democratic in
consultation with the Assistant Director Assets & Environment
and the Executive Director Finance to enter into long-term
contracts with public bodies for the Council to provide mortuary
services and to certify them under Section 2 of the Local
Government (Contracts) Act 1997.

6.   
Authorises the Assistant Director Assets & Environment in
consultation with the Director Legal & Democratic and Executive
Director Finance to enter into leases or licenses to occupy
property and any related agreements in connection with agreements
under 5
 
REASONS RESOLVED:
1.   
The Council, as the responsible authority for the
Northamptonshire Coroner’s Area, needs to ensure there is
sufficient, secure and suitable provision for the storage of bodies
and the conduct of post mortems.
2.   
To improve the experience for those who are bereaved and who
currently have limited access to or poor facilities for viewing
their loved ones.
3.   
Investment in a new public mortuary would remove the need for
investment in The Leys temporary mortuary.
4.   
To achieve net savings for the Council and support wider good
use of public resources.
5.   
To enable, if agreement is reached, efficient entry into
contracts for the provision of mortuary services with local NHS
providers and/or other public bodies requiring these services,
thereby maximising value for money and minimising risk.
 
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:
 

1.   
Option A: No further action. This would leave the current
situation to continue, with services at risk and no opportunity for
savings.

2.   
Option B: WNC proceeds to deliver the new mortuary. This
would involve the typical risks in a construction project and also
those risks around demand for use of the spare capacity, but would
resolve the existing service delivery risks and create
opportunities for savings.

3.   
Option C: WNC promoted a mortuary in arrangement with the
private sector. There are a range of forms of this, from something
akin to a PFI contract to a ‘block booking’ by WNC
anchoring a new private sector facility. All versions would involve
significant additional complexity and restrict future flexibility,
as well as being likely to result in higher costs.