Decision on cemetery extension to be reviewed
THE decision to approve a report, which recommended Allendale Road in Loughborough as the preferred site for a cemetery extension, is to be reviewed at the request of five councillors.
The Echo reported last week that Charnwood Borough Council’s cabinet heard at a meeting on October 19 of developments regarding the provision of burials at Loughborough Cemetery and the recommendation to develop a new cemetery site within the town.
A report, presented at the meeting, said in 2007 the council became aware of the requirement to secure additional land and a feasibility study was commissioned in 2017 to make recommendations on potential sites.
The report said the study looked at Loughborough Road, Shelthorpe Golf Course and Nanpantan Road, plus a ‘Loughborough Cemetery extension’. But it concluded ground at Allendale Road was the “recommended site to take forwards”.
The Echo reported that cabinet approved the report on the recommendation that Allendale Road is the preferred site and the next steps were for the council “to do further investigations into the suitability, and detailed design of the potential site and begin a public consultation”.
However, Coun Ted Parton told the Echo he, and four others, have since requested that Cabinet’s decision by reviewed.
He said: “That land could be sold for housing and with that money they could buy a piece of land to the side of the A6. It would work for everyone.
“It would be more remote for people visiting a grave and it also removes the issues of having it next door to housing - and it is going to affect house prices. It also means when the play area is built for children and young people it will not overlook the cemetery.”
A Charnwood Borough Council spokesperson told the Echo some of the councillors, who requested the decision be looked at, gave reasons why.
One raised concerns over the location, another said “there has been no consultation on this matter” and one member said “proper consideration” should be given to benchmarking the prices at Loughborough Cemetery as an increase “would result in a reduced take-up of the available spaces”.
The council spokesperson told the Echo: “Five councillors have called in the decision made on item 7 at cabinet on October 19. A meeting of the scrutiny management board will now be called to consider the request.
“The board can either support the decision made at cabinet which would then take immediate effect or refer it back to Cabinet.
“The board will aim to meet before the next cabinet on November 16.”