Agenda

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the General Public Services and Community Engagement meeting held on 13 January 2026.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency.  The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

To receive any declarations of interest.

To receive a presentation by Home-Start Watford and Three Rivers about its work and the support available to residents.

This report recommends the adoption of a Public Health Funeral Policy.

Recommendation:

That the General Public Services and Community Engagement Committee agrees that:

1.       the proposed Public Health Funerals Policy be adopted and added to the Policy Register for review every three years;

2.       the professional genealogists are not used at this time; and

3.     authority to make any minor amendments required to this policy be delegated to the Associate Director for Environment in consultation with the Lead Member.

This report covers this Committee’s financial position over the medium term (2025 – 2029) as at Period 10 (end of January 2026).

The Period 10 comprehensive Budget Management report has already been presented to the Policy & Resources Committee at its meeting on 9 March 2026 which sought approval to a change in the Council’s 2025 - 2029 medium-term financial plan.

Recommendation:

That Members note and comment on the contents of the report.

To comment on the Committee’s work programme.

If the Committee wishes to consider any items in private, it will be appropriate for a resolution to be passed in the following terms:

“that under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act. It has been decided by the Council that in all the circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

(Note:  If other confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional items).