Burial cost rise condemned
Wednesday 28th January 2009, 2:05PM GMT.
An ex-Ludlow councillor who fought off a rise in burial costs in the town more than 20 years ago says the new hike in charges is “wicked”.
The full town council unanimously voted this week to increase the cost of a plot from £270 to £370 and interments from £80 to £180.
Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith said the rise was necessary to cover the near £40,000 of maintenance costs.
But Wesley Barker, 78, whose wife June, mother, sister, brother-in law and nephew are all buried in the Henley Road cemetery, said he campaigned in 1987 with two other councillors to resist a rise in the cost.
Mr Barker, said it was the older residents with family already buried there, like himself, who would be hit by the charges.
He said that in 1987, councillors John Morris, Alan Middleton and Mr Barker, rolled up their sleeves and tidied up the cemetery themselves in their evenings and weekends, to prevent an increase in charges. The trio carried out the work for about three years.
Today, Mr Barker said: “I was really against it when I read about the new charges. If the council had continued the upkeep of the cemetery, there wouldn’t have been as much that needed doing.
“The town council will price itself out of business by the time of the next election. I think it’s wicked to put prices up on older people.”
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Dear me, another money-grabbing scheme by Ludlow on top of the 7% tax rise announced today. Is “maintenance and repairs” the only excuse that they can offer?
I’ll give them one thing – they’re persistent. You can’t get away from the money-grabbing even when you die!
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If Ludlow Town Council are responsible for the cemetery then the costs of running it – staffing, grass cutting, and all the increased costs of Health and Safety – hello has anyone heard of the issue of topple testing memorials so that a stone does not fall and injure someone? – have to be paid by someone. Is is fairer to increase the charges to the users – or add the quoted £40K to the town’s precept so that EVERYONE pays a bit?
Check the Ministry of Justice “advice” to Burial Authorities – like any government advice it’s very expensive.
And keeping the fees and charges so low for so long when costs are rising does no-one any favours, because when you are faced by the necessity to get more income to cover the costs they have to go up big time.
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