Minutes:
The Committee considered the undernoted report:
“1. Background Information
Currently within the Parks and Cemeteries Services Section there are 9 x Gravedigger posts (Scale 3) and 15 x Cemetery Operative posts (Scale 4). At the February 2014 meeting members were made aware of the resourcing issues within the section and advised that a review of the post of Gravedigger was being conducted. The Cemetery Operative posts were introduced in 2008 following committee approval.
It has been identified by management that the posts within the cemeteries, and in particular Roselawn, are not providing sufficient operational flexibility to meet today’s demands, service standards and health & safety requirements. At Roselawn there is a growing requirement that staff must be flexible in order to deal with the increasing number of burials on this expanding site, associated increases in ground maintenance requirements, the introduction of memorial safety and the provision of operational back-up cover at the Crematorium. It is within the job description of the Cemetery Operative to provide this required level of operational flexibility, but not all the required aspects are covered within the job descriptions of the current Gravedigger posts.
2. Key Issues
In order to ensure that the staff’s job descriptions are suitably flexible to provide the full range of operational requirements within the cemeteries, it is recommended that the current post of Gravedigger is replaced by that of Cemetery Operative. The requirement to dig graves will remain the primary focus of the post holders however the move to Cemetery Operative provides much needed flexibility and the ability to vary resource allocation as demand requires.
The review has also considered equipment needs and it is proposed that a contract hiring 2 mechanical diggers at Roselawn which is coming to an end is not retendered and that replacement equipment is acquired and operated by Cemetery Operatives.Mechanical digging is carried out by Council staff at Dundonald and City Cemetery and this brings the practices at Roselawn into line with this. It is recommended that staff undergo refresher training for mechanical digging.
3. Resource Implications - Financial
The current contract for 2 diggers is £80,000 per annum. The cost of acquiring new equipment is approximately £80,590 in year 1 and £14,720 in subsequent years giving a total running cost of £139,470 excluding fuel over 5 years. These costs consist of x 2 mechanical excavators and x 2 tractors for transportation throughout the site as is currently practised in the City cemetery and Dundonald cemetery. This would also equip the site better to deal with adverse weather conditions as experienced in 2013. The cost of 9 posts moving from Grave Digger (Scale 3) to Cemetery Operative (Scale 4) is £18,000 approximately. This cost can be offset by the savings from buying rather than hiring our own equipment by year two. Therefore savings over 5 years amounts to approximately £171,000.
Human Resources
The proposed changes provide much needed flexibility in the section. Staff and Trade Unions have been engaged throughout the review and all are in agreement with the recommendations.
4. Equality and good relations implications
There are no equality implications.
5. Recommendations
The Committee is asked to agree to the recommendation to replace the post of Gravedigger with that of Cemetery Operative and to the acquisition of two mechanical diggers to be operated by staff.”
After discussion, during which the Director undertook to provide further information in respect of the costs incurred annually by the Department through hire agreements, together with an outline of the potential savings which might be realised through outright purchase of plant or equipment, the Committee adopted the recommendations.
Supporting documents: