Telford residents upset as council puts cemetery lodge up for sale after decision in private session

The council said the sale could raise "hundreds of thousands of pounds" to be spent in the community.

But the decision has been criticised by local residents who say the council should have consulted the public before taking the decision to sell the building.

The building has previously been home to the cemetery manager and has been in possession of the council for a number of years.

The council said the management of the cemetery would now be taken on by the clerk's team.

In a statement the council said the lodge was being offered for sale "so that the money released can be invested into the wider community".

The council said the decision had been taken in a private session "due to the link between the use of the lodge and a contract of employment".

A spokeswoman for the council said it would be asking residents for their opinions over what to spend the proceeds of the sale on.

She said: “The cemetery is an important part of all of our lives and we will ensure that it continues to be well looked after, providing a space for reflection and to remember loved ones.

“It is not unusual for cemetery lodges to be owned privately. The sale of the lodge could raise hundreds of thousands of pounds towards projects that will improve our neighbourhood and see the costs of maintaining the building also re-invested into the community.

“We will be consulting residents about how this money is used.”

The Shropshire Star has been contacted by several residents concerned about the potential sale, warning the community will lose a permanent valued asset in the process.

The council's social media post announcing the decision has also been met with criticism from a number of residents.

Many responses have questioned why the council had not consulted the public before deciding on the sale.

One said: "If you never consulted or listened to residents initially about the sale of the lodge why should we be so sure that you’ll take any notice about how residents think the money should be spent?"

Another said: "The lodge is a community asset and should never have gone up for sale without public consultation."

Another added: "This is a shame and residents should have been consulted way before the decision was made. I plead to residents of Hadley and Leegomery community to attend meetings and have your voice heard."