The Mansfield and District Crematorium Joint Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss the crematorium's operations, finances, and development plans. The committee was also expected to discuss the Children's Funeral Fund and the appointment of a clerk. Much of the Crematorium Development Report was marked as exempt from the public.

Crematorium Refurbishment

The committee was scheduled receive an update on the refurbishment project at Mansfield Crematorium. According to the Crematorium Development Report, the project timeline and monitoring arrangements were presented at the previous Joint Crematorium Committee (JCC) meeting in May 2025.

The report noted that Mansfield District Council's (MDC) Design Services team had been working with Nottinghamshire County Council to manage the procurement of an external project manager. The tender period was extended by a week to accommodate site visits. A moderation meeting for the evaluated tenders took place on 11 September, and the evaluation of costs was being carried out by Mansfield's design services team. Five out of seven tender submissions were proceedable to the evaluation process.

The first working party meeting took place on 11 September, with the agenda including the appointment of the project manager, financing updates, and a communication strategy. Member representatives from each authority area were scheduled to meet monthly from 12 September to provide updates following the project manager's appointment.

Following the contract award, the appointed project manager was expected to take over the project's development, focusing on:

• Procurement of the structural survey
• Procurement and appointment of the design team
• Investigation and planning of business continuation

Financial Management

The committee was scheduled to review the Financial Management Review April-June 2025 Report, which presented the forecasted year-end position for the 2025/2026 financial year as of 30 June 2025.

The report noted a forecasted reduction in employee expenses of £51,184 due to vacant posts. Capital charges were also expected to be £120,000 lower than budgeted because borrowing would not be required until 2026/2027. Due to high interest rates, a £97,500 increase in interest income was also forecast. Overall, a contribution of £269,188 to the General Reserve was forecast at year-end.

At the end of June 2025, capital spending was £4,200 for a new water main.

The total outstanding debtors at 30 June 2025, was £276,996.

Table 3 of the report detailed the General Fund, with a brought forward balance of £915,371, less a provision for temporary cremators of -£198,000, and an addition to the General Reserve of £269,188, giving a General Reserves Forecasted Balance as at 31 March 2026 of £986,559.

Table 4 detailed the Capital Fund, with a brought forward balance of £463,234. Planned preventative maintenance of £3,000, design services fees of £18,171, fire door works of £13,471 and a new water main costing £4,200 were all deducted, giving a Capital Fund Forecasted Balance as at 31 March 2026 of £424,392.

The report also included a forecast of surplus payments to each authority based on the revised budget surplus and usage to date:

• Ashfield: £312,726
• Mansfield: £364,292
• Newark & Sherwood: £23,288

Operations

The committee was scheduled to discuss an operations report that provided an update on the crematorium's operation since the previous committee meeting in May 2025.

Cremator and Ancillary Equipment

The report stated that Cremator number 4 was non-operational for five days in September due to failing brickwork in the door. Quotes were being sought for a half reline and blast tube replacement. While a full reline was expected to cost over £100,000, necessary repairs should keep the cremator operational for another 12 months at approximately £60,000. The report recommended that the committee approve the cremator repairs costing £60,000, from the existing revenue budget.

The report stated that cremators 2 and 3 were running satisfactorily, but there had been some system errors due to excessive temperatures during the summer months. A quote was being sought for number 2 cremator's fan as the invertor had tripped on a couple of occasions. In addition to the cremator 4 breakdown, there had also been a failure of the gas fail safe, which meant that the crematorium was unable to cremate for 24 hours.

Building Maintenance and Repair

The report stated that the following building maintenance was required:

• A temporary repair to a crack in the chimney stack, with a bat survey being undertaken.
• Fire door repairs.
• A temporary repair to the cremator roof to address a water leak onto cremator 3 door and motor.
• Two new encoders for the music system and an additional screen in Newstead Chapel.

Grounds Maintenance

The report stated that slab and path repairs were required due to unstable paving. Significant tree work was also required, including weight reduction, crown lifting, and thinning. A longer-term maintenance plan for tree removal was also in place.

Soil samples had identified acidity levels that would make it difficult to grow anything within the borders of the memorial grounds. Further sampling was being carried out to determine remedial action. Plant loss was expected to be large due to the heat, and a full living memorial survey was being completed. A business case for a watering system and a replacement programme of existing living memorials was expected to be presented to the committee in December.

Book of Remembrance Room

The report noted that the Book of Remembrance Room had been reopened on weekends and bank holidays after a pilot run utilising staff from across the authority. Weekend working for staff members would be revisited after the refurbishment.

Cremation Data

Cremation numbers had remained relatively static against the first quarter of the previous year.

Children's Funeral Fund

The committee was scheduled to receive an annual update on the Children's Funeral Fund. Funeral services for children under 18 are free at the point of sale, with crematorium and burial authorities able to claim costs back from the government. In September 2023, the committee approved that any reclaimed funds could be repurposed to improve children's bereavement services at the crematorium and within the wider community.

The report provided a table of funds claimed back:

The value per child cremation is made up of the cremation fee and the medical referee fee¹.

Replacement Memorial Stone

A replacement memorial stone had been installed in the crematorium grounds, with additional flower vases. The total price for the new stone with additional vases was £1,293.33. The original stone was also refurbished and placed within a different location in the children's scattering area.

Children's Bereavement Centre Donation

The Children's Bereavement Centre, a charity that provides support to bereaved children across Mansfield, Ashfield and Newark and Sherwood, received a donation to fund 15 children's counselling sessions. It was proposed that the Joint Crematorium Committee continue to make an annual donation to be financed from the Children's Funeral Fund.

Proposed Spend

The report mentioned a longer-lasting interactive memorial following the refurbishment of Mansfield Crematorium. An example of an interactive memorial garden was found in Cardiff's Bereavement Services, where they installed a 'Dear Mum' memorial. The project tells the story of Dear Mum through an interactive walk through the garden, with a Forget-you-Not Post-box and granite characters that encourage children to write letters to loved ones.

Appointment of Clerk

The committee was scheduled to discuss the appointment of a clerk. Two documents related to this agenda item were included in the report pack: Clerk to the Joint Crematorium Committee and Clerk to the Joint Crematorium Committee.

Committee Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review the Committee Work Programme, which included a list of upcoming agenda items for future meetings.