Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure and housing keeping was noted.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 14 April 2025.

AGREED the minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Progress report for the previously completed Planning (Development Management) and Adoption of Open Space review.

Consideration was given to assessment of progress on the implementation of the recommendation from the Committee’s previously completed review of Planning (Development Management) and Adoption of Open Space. This was third update following the Committee’s agreement of the action plan in January 2023.

There was one outstanding recommendation, recommendation 4 regarding including information on the management companies for land on iShare/Maps@Stockton system. It was noted that while it was now a planning condition to inform the Council of the management company for open space on developments and recent data was available, it was proving difficult to confirm historical data. The information that had been received had been entered onto the system and screenshots of how this was displayed were shared.  The Committee were informed that once information was received it was a relatively quick process to enter it onto the system.

It was discussed whether it would be beneficial to continue to seek the outstanding historical information. Members noted that they were able to contact Asset Management for assistance and/or Land and Property to confirm ownership of land if the information was not on the system. It was therefore agreed that that the recommendation had been partially achieved and no longer required monitoring by the Committee. 

AGREED that the progress update be noted and no further updates required.

Progress report for the previously completed Domestic Waste Collection, Kerbside Recycling and Green Waste review.

Consideration was given to assessments of progress on the implementation of the recommendations from the Committee’s previously completed review of Domestic Waste Collection, Kerbside Recycling, and Green Waste. This was the second update following the Committee’s agreement of the action plan in April 2024 and all recommendations were on track except recommendation 3 regarding the change to the green waste service which had been implemented, therefore assessed as fully achieved.

The roll out of the green waste service was discussed and it was noted that the brown bins were delivered via an area by area basis rather than by the date residents signed up. Communication and promotion of the service was raised, with members noting that some of their residents were not aware of the change. The Committee were informed that the service was promoted via leaflet drops, social media, and My Council alerts.

The roll out of the fortnightly refuse collection with weekly multi-stream collection of dry recycling and food waste was discussed. It was noted that that the new containers for recycling and food waste would also be delivered on an area by area basis using the waste collection rounds and these would be advertised so that residents knew when to expect their delivery. Members believed that communication was important, and that the Council needed to inform residents that the changes were influenced by government regulations. The engagement team were attending lots of events and groups, and members could request attendance at any particular group that they were aware of to help spread the information and answer any concerns e.g. on number of bins and storage.

Members noted that by promoting recycling the waste in household’s domestic waste bins that would be collected fortnightly would hopefully be reduced.

It was noted that the waste service to high rise properties and farmland would be delivered slightly differently, to take into account their unique circumstances. Properties with alleyways would continue to receive weekly collections for a longer period due to the prevalence of fly tipping in these. It was further noted that the engagement team would be in place six months after implementation to continue to promote the changes and offer advice and help.

A further progress update would be presented in six months.

AGREED that the Progress Update be noted and the assessments of progress be confirmed.

To receive information from SBC Bereavement Services and a local Funeral Director in relation to this scrutiny topic.

The Committee received verbal evidence from a local funeral director, Shakeel Hussain. He explained that he had a good working relationship with the bereavement team, who he contacted, as well as registrars, as soon as the family informed him of a death to ascertain the possibility of a burial that day.

Mr Hussain informed that in the Muslim faith, burials took place within 24 hours of the death if possible and there were several legal requirements and necessary safeguards that needed to be adhered to. These included sign off by a Medical Examiner as well as the doctor if the death occurred in a hospital. Once the body had been released Mr Hussain and his team collected the body and took it to the mosque to prepare for burial. It was noted that if someone died in the morning it was often possible to hold their burial by 2.30pm the same day. However sometimes the paperwork could not be completed in time and Mr Hussain therefore felt that if the burial times were extended past the current 2.30pm this would assist in arranging the funeral on the same day.

It was noted that currently caskets were placed in wooden frames that were installed in the burial plot. With the soil in Thornaby Cemetery, where the Muslim section was based, being clay based it retained the water in winter and caused problems with the frames. The frame could collapse when soil was placed on top and there had been issues with subsidence. Mr Hussain suggested that installing concrete rings in pre-dug burial plots would be preferred, with the extra cost of these passed on to the family. When questioned why rings were preferred, it was explained that it was a requirement in the Muslim faith that the body touches the ground. In other countries with a hotter climate the body was not placed in a casket but straight into a burial plot, however this was not possible in this country and therefore a casket was used.

The Committee received a presentation from the Bereavement team regarding the different burial vaults available on the market, as follows:

• Wooden frames were introduced during Covid and their use had continued. The frames were built to size, the casket was placed inside, and the lid placed on top before the burial plot being filled. The cost for this option was £1,030 plus £800 for the burial fee.
• Concrete burial vaults, which Middlesbrough Council had previously installed in their cemeteries. The vaults were connected and installed in advance ready for purchasing. The lid would be removed for the casket to be placed in and then replaced, and the burial plot filled. The estimated cost of these would be £20,000 for a minimum order of 16 vaults. Discussions were ongoing with the provider whether a bigger plot size would be required to accommodate the vault.  If the cost was passed on to the family it would increase the fee to an estimated £3,100.
• Concrete burial rings, which  ...  view the full minutes text for item PLA/11/25

Consideration was given to the Work Programme.

AGREED that the Work Programme be noted.