The North East Surrey Crematorium Board (NESCB) met to discuss the surveyor and treasurer's reports, proposed fees and charges, and dates for future meetings. The board was also scheduled to consider a motion to exclude the press and public from certain items of business.

Fees and Charges

The board was scheduled to consider proposed revisions to fees and charges, with a recommendation to approve changes taking effect from 1 January 2026.

It was noted that charges are reviewed annually to ensure income levels are sufficient to cover the cost of services, and that when reviewing cremation charges, a balance needs to be struck between maintaining income levels relative to costs and keeping the charges affordable.

The treasurer's report noted that the current charge levied by the board for a standard cremation is among the lowest in the country, and that fees set by the board continue to be very competitive compared to those charged by neighbouring crematoria.

It was proposed to increase fees for a standard cremation by £30 to £730 (4.3%) from 1 January 2026. It was also proposed that the lease/dedication and maintenance fees element for multiyear memorial products are increased by £1 per year (3.1%), increasing the annual cost from £32 to £33 per annum. Where it is a single year renewal the price will be increased by £2 per annum (3.8%) from £53 to £55 to cover the additional administrative costs of annual renewals.

Financial Matters

The board was scheduled to discuss and approve several financial matters, including:

• The revised Management Agreement budget for 2025/26 and the original budget for 2026/27.
• Revisions and reprofiling to the Major Works & Projects expenditure estimates.
• The Service Level Agreement (SLA) and Agency Services estimates. The SLA covers the administrative services provided to the board by Wandsworth Borough Council, while the Agency Services cover reciprocal arrangements between the board and Wandsworth Borough Council where services are shared across the site.
• The distribution of £350,000 of surplus balances.
• The audited Annual Governance and Accountability Return for the Year Ended 31 March 2025.

The treasurer's report noted that chargeable cremation service numbers are down on the original projections for 2025/26, with 1,700 chargeable services now forecast for the year. However, for budget setting purposes, it is anticipated that levels will continue at a more typical level of around 1,900 cremations per annum thereafter.

Surveyor's Report

The surveyor's report included updates on activities relating to the management agreement between the North East Surrey Crematorium Board and Wandsworth Council. It also provided updates on live projects, including:

• Main Drive - Pedestrian Pathway: The project consists of the installation of a new footpath connecting the main entrance to the chapels at Morden Cemetery. It was noted that the conditions of the agreement have been informally approved by both parties with maintenance costs allocated for 80% to NESC and 20% to Wandsworth. The report also mentioned that ecological surveys have been instructed and the drawings are being progressed for the planning application.
• Tree of Life Fountain: The report stated that following a tender exercise that yielded no valid submissions, a design team has now been appointed to develop the technical details for the fountain's construction. A new tender process is scheduled to take place in December 2025 and January 2026 with appointment of the contractor planned in February 2026. In light of the lower number of cremations anticipated this financial year, it was recommended that the tender proceeds with two options: one for the full design, and another for the replacement of the water basin only (retaining the existing cubical base).

The surveyor's report also provided an update on a heat decarbonisation plan for Morden Cemetery, which was included as an appendix to the report. The plan provided various options for operational decarbonisation at the crematorium, including:

• Installing air source heat pumps for the crematorium and lodge.
• Installing electric point of use hot water boilers throughout the building.
• Installing a solar PV array on the Remembrance Building.
• Replacing the existing gas-fired cremator with an electric cremator.

Meeting Dates 2025/26

The board was scheduled to agree the dates for the quarterly meetings for the following year, with the following dates proposed:

• 10 March 2026 at 10.30am at Sutton Civic Offices
• 23 June 2026 at 10.30am - at NESC
• 8 September 2026 at 10.30am at Sutton Civic Offices
• 1 December 2026 at 10.30am at Sutton Civic Offices