Issue - meetings

The report of the Executive Manager – Transformation is attached.

Abbey Road Development

The Executive Manager – Transformation advised the Group that the contract with the developer for Abbey Road had not exchanged and, it would therefore not be appropriate for the developer to come to this meeting and the item would be carried forward to the next meeting of Growth and Development Scrutiny in January.

Crematorium

The Executive Manager – Transformation delivered a presentation on the crematorium and provided the Group with the background from a feasibility study completed in 2017/18, which highlighted a strong level of need in Rushcliffe, along with a financially viable acquisition of an appropriate site identified at Stragglethorpe, Cotgrave.

The Executive Manager – Transformation advised the Group that Cabinet at its meeting in November 2018 had supported the principle of a new provision and planning permission was secured in September 2019. In December 2019 Cabinet approved the land purchase and in September 2020 the Council appointed a project management and design team.

The Executive Manager – Transformation provided information on how the scheme was progressing and highlighted some of the key features as follows:

·       Strong focus on green credentials and a modern facility

·       Sympathetic to the landscape

·       Focus on user experience

·       A single storey building, with a single chapel and a capacity for 120 mourners, including potential overflow space

·       Potential for a viewing/committal space, in response to cultural shifts

·       Car parking for 90 vehicles

·       Potential for electric, rather than gas cremator, to support the Councils’ carbon neutral target

·       Potential for the chapel garden to be visible from within the chapel and is proposed to include a reflective water feature

·       Memorial gardens

·       Natural landscaping design to blend in with the surroundings

In response to the proposal for an electric cremator rather than gas, the Executive Manager – Transformation explained this would be one of the first electric cremators in the UK, it could run on a full green renewable tariff and would mean that no gas supply was required for the building, producing 90% less CO2 and 50% less NOx emissions with a catalytic reduction.

The Executive Manager – Transformation provided the Group with a number of photographs and architectural visuals of modern crematoria buildings and advised the Group that the appointed architect Benchmark have designed multiple crematoria buildings throughout the UK, including more recently as  examples, Hinckley and Bosworth and Netherhouse Farm in Waltham Abbey.

The Executive Manager – Transformation explained the crematorium will be operated on an in house model, as this is the most financially beneficial option for the Council and would enable the Council to maintain control of quality of service to residents, the primary focus being on user experience. In supporting this decision the Executive Manager – Transformation advised the Group that officers have been in communication with stakeholders including the City Council, Wilford Hill and Bramcote crematoria and  local funeral directors within the Borough and are working on plans for some further community engagement with local residents and businesses.

In concluding the Executive Manager – Transformation provided a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25