| Content Note | Topics covered:
Announcement of award of the Royal Horticultural Society’s medal for 40 consecutive years of service to horticulture with one employer for Mr G. A. Burden, Senior Head Gardener in France Area; Mr A. W. L. Fisher, Head Gardener in Northern European Area; Mr J. M. Nelson, Gardener Caretaker 1st Class in France Area, and Mr T. W. C. Symons, Gardener Caretaker in Northern Europe Area
Announcement of the death in service of Mr Kadhim Alwan Abbas Al-Kinani, gardener in Basra War Cemetery, Iraq, after 31 years of service.
Matters Arising from the Minutes of the 578th Meeting, including note of further progress towards the conclusion of the proposed Commonwealth-Tunisian War Graves Agreement; decision to discontinue the annual Gardener’s Remembrance Service in St. George’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey; acceptance by the Iraqi government of the Commission’s nomination of a UK based staff for role of Local Supervisor; report on visit by the Secretary to the Pakistani High Commissioner to discuss possibility of resuming its membership of the Commission.
Approval for the repair of the existing air conditioning system at the Commission’s Head Office in Maidenhead and discussions about eventual replacement of system;
Adoption of draft Corporate Plan 1990-1993, with specific reference to the importance of providing group base accommodation in northern Europe, and difficulties in acquiring additional land or planning permission;
Estimate of Expenditure 1990-1991, including discussion on accommodation for Area Directors in Arras and Ieper;
Forecast of Outturn 1989-1990;
Burials and Commemorations update;
Appointment to the South African Agency of Mr L. Claassen and record of appreciation of the service given by predecessor Mr C. W. van Niekerk;
Commonwealth-Foreign Joint Committees: Appointment of Members; Summary of Tours by Commissioners and Head Office Senior Officials, including comments on visit to Israel by the Chairman and visit by Admiral Sir Nicholas Hunt to sites in south of England, with comments that sites maintained by the Property Services Agency on behalf of the Commission were below standard;
Diary update, with note of the attendance of the President H.R.H. Duke of Kent at the ceremony at Neuve-Chapelle Memorial, France marking the 75th anniversary of the Indian Army’s participation in the fighting in the area during the First World War;
Other Business, including report that the Commission had successfully sought exemption from the London Local Authorities (No 2) Bill which aimed to empower local authorities to licence private cemetery operators (in the event the Bill had failed to complete its passage through Parliament); report on the exchange of letters between the Commission and the Government of the Republic of the Maldives which guaranteed the future security of the Addu Atoll Memorial on Gan Island, provided for its maintenance by the government on the Commission’s behalf and gave assurances that the unmaintainable war graves on the island would not be disturbed; and note on the Remembrance Day broadcast given by Mr Kenneth Kendall.
ATTENDEES:
General Sir Robert Ford GCB CBE (Vice-Chairman of the Commission)
Air Chief Marshall Sir John Gingell GBE KCB
Captain Sir Miles Wingate KCVO
Major General Desmond Smith CBE DSO CD
The Rt Hon J. D. Concannon
Dame Janet Fookes DBE MP
Sir Derek Day KCMG
Sir Nigel Mobbs DL
Admiral Sir Nicholas Hunt GCB LVO
Mr R. L. L. Facer (Representing the Secretary of State for Defence in the United Kingdom)
Mr T. H. J. Matthews (Representing the High Commissioner for Australia)
Mr R. G. S. Johnston (Representing the Secretary of State for the Environment in the United Kingdom)
Brigadier-General C. M. Curleigh CMM CD (Representing the High Commissioner for Canada)
Colonel V. S. Budhwar (Representing the High Commissioner for the Republic of India)
Commodore J. G. Leonard RNZN (Representing the High Commissioner for New Zealand)
Mr J. G. Williams (Representing the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa)
ADVISERS
Professor Sir Peter Shepheard CBE BArch PPRIBA MRTPI PPILA (Honorary Artistic Adviser)
Professor G. T. Prance MA DPhil FLS (Honorary Botanical Adviser)
SECRETARY
Mr J. Saynor JP, Director-General
ALSO IN ATTENDANCE:
Mr D. Kennedy (Assistant Secretary, Deputy Director-General (Administration))
Mr N. B. Osborn OBE FRICS (Assistant Secretary, Deputy Director-General (Operations))
Mr G. C. Reddie (Legal Adviser and Solicitor)
Mr T. F. Penfold (Director of Personnel)
Mr A. Coombe (Director of Works)
Mr P. J. Noakes BSc MIHort (Director of Horticulture)
Mr R. D. Wilson ACMA (Director of Finance)
Mr J. P. D. Gee (Director of Information and Secretariat)
Mrs M. E. Meads (Senior Executive Officer (Secretariat))
Mr S. T. Bell (Secretariat)
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