The Bandon Hill Cemetery Joint Committee met on Monday 27 November 2017, approving the budget for the upcoming financial year and agreeing to the installation of war graves interpretive panels. The committee also appointed a new Honorary Treasurer and discussed the management of the cemetery grounds and its war graves.

Financial Outturn and Budget Approval

The committee received and noted the forecast financial outturn for 2017/18 and approved the budget for 2018/19. The fees and charges for 2018/19 were also approved. A key discussion point was the cemetery's surplus funds, which the Head of Financial Strategy and Reporting for London Borough of Sutton^(1) advised would be used to build up reserves for a time when the cemetery will no longer generate income, estimated to be in approximately 30 years. Currently, there is a £300,000 surplus. Councillor Pathumal Ali raised a query about litter collection costs, and it was explained that some expenses are now covered by the contract with idverde. Sue Hogg, the Honorary Treasurer, announced her resignation, and Christine Little from the Sutton shared finance service was nominated and appointed as her replacement. The committee expressed their gratitude to Sue Hogg for her service, noting she left the committee in a strong financial position.

Cemetery Management and Heritage Project

Mark Dalzell, Head of Neighbourhood Services, presented an update on the Parks and Ground Maintenance contract with idverde, which includes the management of Bandon Hill Cemetery. The committee agreed to the installation of war graves interpretive panels, a project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund^(2). They also agreed to the use of volunteers in maintaining war graves.

Councillor Ali inquired about the cemetery's closing times and safety. Mark Dalzell confirmed that closing times would be advertised to ensure clarity for residents. Councillor Nick Mattey, who declared a non-pecuniary interest as he lives near the cemetery's side gate, raised concerns about the inconsistent locking of both the main and pedestrian gates. While the pedestrian access is currently set to open at 8 am and close at 4 pm, not opening on weekends, Councillor Mattey suggested aligning its opening hours with the main gates to encourage pedestrian access. Officers noted that leaving side gates open at weekends had led to anti-social behaviour at other cemeteries. Mark Dalzell agreed to investigate the cost of opening the side gates at weekends and will report back at the next meeting. Councillor Ali also sought further details on preserving WW1 graves, and it was noted that while headstones are generally well-maintained, some graves known to be war graves are family-maintained and may require future attention.

Tree Maintenance Inquiry

Councillor Nick Mattey also raised concerns about the condition of trees at Queenswood Avenue, stating they did not appear to be in good condition. Councillor Edward Joyce, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee and Vice Chair of the Beddington and Wallington Local Committee, asked if the trees could be inspected in the next cycle or during the summer when they are in leaf. The Head of Neighbourhood Services will investigate the date of the last inspection and provide an update at the next committee meeting.