Burial fees rise to prevent plot crisis

From the archive, first published Saturday 26th Nov 2005.

BURIAL fees will increase in west Wiltshire to help offset the cost of extending cemeteries in two towns. Spaces for burials and cremated remains in Bradford on Avon and Melksham could run out within three years unless more land is acquired.

At a meeting on Wednesday West Wiltshire District Council's cabinet voted to buy more land in both towns to stave off the shortage.

Investment in the district's cemeteries could cost the council up to £478,000.

Other options on the table included transferring the burial service and cemeteries to the private sector through negotiations with West Wiltshire Crematorium in Semington and funeral directors, but officers said that would cost the authority more in the long-run through lost revenue.

Hiking up burial costs has made west Wiltshire one of the expensive places in the county.

Selling grave spaces and carrying out burials nets the authority £128,000-a-year. Raising costs will generate an extra £14,000 annually.

Reserving a burial space for 40 years has gone from £300 to £350, compared to £170 in north Wiltshire. Picking a space near a path rises further to £550.

Reserving a cremated remains space has gone from £103 to £140. A path side plot will set you back £215. North Wiltshire charges £117.

Additional charges will also be made for deeper graves.

A report drawn up by council officers revealed only 88 burial spaces and 142 cremated remains spaces were available at Melksham Cemetery, while at Bradford Cemetery there were spaces for 80 burial spaces and 53 cremated remains.

Both cemeteries would be full within three years.

If nothing were done it would mean only burial space in Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster and Hilperton would be offered.

Canon Bill Williams, of Holy Trinity Church in Bradford on Avon, said residents would be concerned if burial spaces were not being offered in their home town,

"It is still very important for a lot of people in Bradford on Avon to be able to have burials close to their own community," he said. "It would be greatly missed if it were no longer available. I do think people would want the option of paying higher prices to have burial space in their own community."

As well as buying extra land the council wants to spend £81,000 to extend Pine Lawns Cemetery in Warminster and improve the infrastructure at Trowbridge Cemetery.

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