Shrewsbury’s Emstrey Crematorium should stay in public hands and not be sold off to the highest bidder, council chiefs were told today.

Plans to sell the crematorium were announced by Shropshire Council earlier this year to avoid meeting continuing running costs and a £2 million-plus bill for building works and replacing outdated equipment.

The sale is part of plans to save £65 million over the next three years.

Members of Shrewsbury Town Council said they wanted to take over running the crematorium, but one, Councillor Peter Nutting, said today he was concerned it would be sold privately to the highest bidder.

Councillor Nutting said he was worried about the number of public assets in Shrewsbury at risk of going into private ownership.

He said: “The future of the crematorium and graveyards in Shrewsbury has highlighted the issue of the future ownership and maintenance of many public assets in Shrewsbury.

“When the new Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council were created in 2009, there was a determination in the Shirehall that any assets of value should go to Shropshire Council and that is why the ownership of the crematorium now rests with Shirehall.”

“In Shropshire the town council is expected to bid for the service against the private sector and the profits could easily be lost to local government,” he said.

Andy Goldsmith, assistant director for public protection with Shropshire Council, said: “As part of a review of Shropshire Council’s bereavement services,it was agreed that all providers – from both the private and public sector – should be given the opportunity to bid to deliver these services on behalf of Shropshire Council.

“This includes town councils, should they wish to submit a proposal, and we would welcome a submission from Shrewsbury Town Council,£ he continued.

“Allowing all providers to bid will ensure that the process is fair to all, and will also ensure that we deliver the best, and best value, bereavement services to the people of Shropshire in the future.”

By Emma Kasprzak