Agenda item

The Chair invited Mark Norris, Principal Policy Adviser, to introduce the paper which outlined the findings of the UK Commission on Bereavement, which reported in October 2022, with a number of recommendations for organisations involved in the provision of bereavement services, including councils. There is a particular recommendation on creating new regulations for public health funerals.

Members’ comments:

·       The Chair requested that the scope of the work be expanded to private cemetery grounds to address the gap in the legislation where local authorities cannot regulate them.

·       Concern was raised that introducing central government standards and regulations could take more power away from local authorities. The Chair clarified this is not the proposal, but instead the proposal is to agree that the LGA carry out further research to inform future policy lines.

·       It was suggested that the LGA provide some training for councils on the handling of public health funerals. The Chair stated this was a secondary issue as currently there is a disconnect between what councils do and what they are being asked to do by the Government.

·       A member highlighted that public health funerals are sometimes a last resort for people who invest in a prepayment funeral plan and the funeral company subsequently goes bankrupt – a situation not currently covered by the Financial Conduct Authority.

·       Further data was requested on funeral turnaround times and the time taken to pass on costs, in order to reduce stress for families. Another member requested that a time limit be set for the burial of bodies. The Chair added that the struggle is that some bodies are not being claimed and Local Authorities are being contacted by hospitals and mortuaries for public health funerals. 

Mark Norris clarified that the paragraph which mentioned the introduction of statutory regulatory function was from an independent body separate from local government and reiterated that the recommendation in the report was for the Board to agree for the LGA to undertake research. Mark Norris said that members’ comments regarding opposition to national requirements would be used in framing what is communicated back to Government officials.

Decision

Members noted the report and agreed the next steps set out in paragraph 24.