HUGE PRICE HIKE TO BURY LOVED ONES

GRIEVING families face price hikes of up to 30 per cent to lay their loves ones to rest in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

Cemetery fees and charges are set to rise, some by as much as 29 per cent, as Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council battles to find more than a £1m in savings.

The Town Hall has stressed that, prior to the planned increases, in all but one of the six areas of charging, the fees have been among the lowest not only in the area but across the country.

However in a bid to find the savings to balance the books at the Town Hall, a new raft of charges are to be brought in.

This includes a 20.2 per cent increase in the cost of exclusive rights of burial for under 16 years, which is to rise from £224 to £270.

There will also be a 20.2 per cent rise in the cost for grave depth, with the fee for one person rising from £379 to £456.

The chance to have exclusive burial rights for 30 years is being scrapped and, instead, people can opt for exclusive burial rights for 50 years – but it comes with a price tag of £715.

Under the planned changes, the exclusive cremated remains rights will rise by 27.5 per cent to £286. Those who live outside the borough are set to be hit even harder with exclusive cremated remains rights set to cost £714, way more than the £286 it will cost folk who live in the two towns.

The internment of cremated remains is among the biggest price hikes, rising by 29.3 per cent from £100 to £129. The rights to erect a memorial will also rise from £169 to £183.

It is understood one of the reasons behind the change is that the council has to fork out £86,000 a year cover the shortfall it receives in relation to the income from burial and cemeteries.

It was feared that the council faced paying out even more in the next financial year to bridge the gap.

Councillor Ian Lloyd, cabinet member responsible for cemeteries, explained that the council compared itself against other local authorities in the Council’s CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy) family group and found that its fees are significantly lower than our nearest neighbours;

“Whilst we are reluctant to increase our fees, our current financial pressures mean that we need to charge enough to cover our costs,” he said.

“The proposed fee increase brings us more in line with our nearest neighbours and the suggested new charges still compare favourably locally.

“We do understand that local funeral directors may have to pass increased charges on to their customers, but we wish to stress that our fees will remain well below average and the cheapest amongst our neighbours in most areas of charging.”

The increase is set to be rubber-stamped at the crunch Council Tax setting meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday, February 14.