Crematorium: Proposed increase in charges for 2010

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A decision made on 7 December 2009 to approve increases in cremation fees, Book of Remembrance and memorial card charges for 2010

Decision Reference: MD-HSS-2009-0064
Decision Summary Title :	Crematorium – Proposed Charges for 2010		Date of Decision Summary:	1st December 2009
Decision Summary Author:	Director of Estates And Hotel Services		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:
Written Report Title :	Crematorium – Proposed Charges for 2010		Date of Written Report:	1st December 2009
Written Report Author:	Director of Estates And Hotel Services		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Proposed Cremation Charges for 2010
Decision(s): The Minister agreed to the increases in cremation fees and Book of Remembrance and memorial card charges for 2010 (as specified in the accompanying officer report, dated 1st December 2009), following approval of the Minister for Treasury and Resources to increase fees and charges above inflation, made on 30th November 2009.
Reason(s) for Decision: To increase the charges for cremation to cover the whole cost of the service. An order made under the ‘Cremation (Jersey/Law 1953 needs to be drafted and made by the Minister to reflect the proposal increased fees.
Resource Implications: There are no resource implications.
Action required: Request the Law Draftsman to prepare an Order under the ‘Cremation (Jersey) Law 1953’ to reflect the proposed new charges. The Director of Estates and Hotel Services to advise the Island’s funeral directors of the new charges once the Order has been made by the Minister.
Signature:		Position: Minister for Health and Social Services
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Crematorium: Proposed increase in charges for 2010

STATES OF JERSEY

HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

Estates Management and Hotel Services

Crematorium - Proposed Charges for 2010

1. Background

The Crematorium charges for 2009 were approved by Ministerial Decision ref. MD-HSS-2008-051 (copy attached Appendix A).

The previous policy has been to increase cremation charges by 10% per year until the cost of the service is matched by the income received. This policy was supported by the Minister for Treasury and Resources.

2. Present

The Minister is now required to approve charges for 2010 for an Order under the ‘Cremation (Jersey) Law 1953’ to be drafted.

Any increase in charges of more than 2.5% per annum requires the approval of the Minister of Treasury and Resources under Codes of Directions No. 24. This approval was signed on 30th November 2009.

While in the past the costs of running the Crematorium have been reported as those costs covered directly by the Department, it is now considered that all costs are used including cost of buildings and equipment.

A cost report including all costs has been produced (Appendix B) which demonstrates the gross costs of the service for 2009 are £225,176.00. It is projected that costs in 2010 will be £234,183.00. Included in the projected costs is an assumption that in line with the current trend the number of cremations will fall by 10%.

It is now proposed that cremation charges are increased from 1st January 2010 to reflect these gross costs.

A comparison between charges made by Crematoria across the UK has been made which demonstrates Jersey, in the ‘Crematorium Fee League Table’ is 254th out of 255 published charges in 2009 (See Appendix C).

A Comparison of Burial Fees in Jersey Parishes has also been made (see Appendix D). There is a vast difference between Parishes, however with the cost of a simple headstone being in the order of £1,225.00, the alternative to cremation will cost anywhere between £1,375.00 and £1,925.00.

It is now recommended that cremation charges are increased from £317.00 to £535.00 to reflect the expected costs in 2010. Although this represents a 69% increase it does reflect the whole cost of cremation and is comparable to or better than the cost of burial in many of the Islands Parishes. The increase will also move Jersey into the upper quartile in the ‘Crematorium fee League Table in 2010.

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3. Recommendations

Cremation fees:

The Minister is recommended to approve the fees as set out below, prescribed by Order made by the Minister for Health and Social Services under the provision of the Crematorium (Jersey) Law 1953.

		Fee 2008 (£)	Current fee 2009 (£)	Proposed fee 2010 (£)
a)	For the cremation of remains of a person aged seventeen years or less at death.	0.00	0.00	0.00
b)	For the cremation of remains of a person aged eighteen years or more at death.	288.00	317.00	535.00

The Minister for Health and Social Services must now request the Law Draftsman to arrange for the preparation of the necessary legislation to give effect to the variation in the fees from 1st January 2010.

Books of Remembrance and Memorial Cards:

The Minister is further recommended to approve the following charges for the Book of Remembrance and Memorial Cards which have been increased by 10% and rounded up to the nearest 10p: -

Book of Remembrance
	2008 (£)	Current 2009 (£)	Proposed 2010 (£)
Two line entry (minimum) + gold initial	26.80	29.50	32.50
Five line entry + gold initial	38.80	42.70	47.00
Eight line entry + gold initial	52.50	57.75	63.50

Miniature Book of Remembrance (Leather bound plus box)
	2008 (£)	Current 2009 (£)	Proposed 2010 (£)
Two line entry + gold initial	46.30	51.00	56.00
Five line entry + gold initial	55.00	61.00	67.00
Eight line entry + gold initial	63.70	70.00	77.00

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Memorial Card
	2008 (£)	Current 2009 (£)	Proposed 2010 (£)
Two line entry + gold initial	12.90	14.20	15.60
Five line entry + gold initial	21.00	23.10	25.50
Eight line entry + gold initial	30.60	33.70	37.00

Floral illustrations	33.30	36.65	40.30
High rate illustration	46.40	51.00	56.00
Personal photograph	30.60	33.70	37.00

The Minister for Treasury and Resources approved the increase of the above charges by more than the 2.5% limit set in Code of Directions No 24 on 30th November 2009.

Mr M Le Fevre

Director of Estates

1st December 2009