Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will delay the exhibition period for an amendment to its 2016/17 fees and charges.
In a report tabled at its December 14 meeting, council said that due to the upcoming Christmas - New Year holiday period, the public exhibition period will be deferred to commence on January 27, 2017.
The amendment to the fees and charges will be on exhibition for four weeks.
The fees and charges cover areas including clean up, prevention and noise control notices; burials at Innes Gardens lawn cemetery and burials at the general cemeteries.
The draft fees and charges are:
Issue of clean up, prevention and noise control notices – $520 (GST not applicable); burial - Innes Gardens: grave digging fee - $1400; Burial - lawn cemetery - Innes Gardens: grave digging fee - double depth beams - 1st Interment - $1850; burial - lawn cemetery - Innes Gardens: grave digging fee - child up to 12 years - $925.
All general cemeteries, burial Port Macquarie general digging fee, $1850; burial - all general cemeteries: grave digging fee - $1400; burial - all general cemeteries: grave digging fee - child up to 12 years $925.
Council noted that a further report will be tabled to the March 2017 ordinary meeting detailing any submissions received from the public during the exhibition period.
These fees were omitted from the 2016-2017 schedule of fees and charges as a result of ongoing discussions between council and local funeral directors as to the most appropriate method for the delivery of these services.
Subsequent to the adoption and publication of the fees and charges, council has continued to offer grave digging services as a service to local Funeral Directors for this current financial year. Council said the future delivery of these services is still under review.
