The North East Surrey Crematorium Board is weighing options for a new fountain and improvements to cemetery footpaths, with a decision expected in the coming months.
The board met on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, to discuss a surveyor's report that included a recommendation to approve a revised design for the Tree of Life Fountain, with a budget of £50,000. The fountain's maintenance costs have been high due to leaves interfering with the immersion pump. The proposed redesign aims to address these issues.
The surveyor's report also outlined a feasibility study for a new footpath in Morden Cemetery. Three options were presented, with costs ranging from £195,000 to £415,000. Option 1, the least expensive, involves a footpath to the north of the road, detached to avoid services, at an estimated cost of £195,000. Option 2, costing £360,000, proposes footpaths on either side of the road but would result in a loss of burial space. The most expensive option, Option 3, at £415,000, includes footpaths attached to both sides of the road, requiring relocation of services and also leading to a loss of burial spaces.
In other business, the board discussed an update to its constitution, noting that population data indicated that the London Borough of Sutton and the London Borough of Merton were each able to appoint one additional board member, bringing their total to four each. The report of the Clerk to the Board stated that the London Borough of Wandsworth was expected to continue to appoint five members.
The board also reviewed the treasurer's report, which showed a full-year underspend of £15,421 against the approved budget of £56,800 for major works and projects scheduled for 2024/25. The treasurer's report also noted that Enable, the Board's operational service delivery partner, is a London Living Wage employer.