Meeting to consider cemetery

RESIDENTS interested in improving Desford Cemetery are invited to a meeting tonight.

The gathering has been called to give local people the chance to talk about issues such as damage to gravestones, upkeep, security and possible improvements.

The move follows months of debate about the work of new contractors in maintaining the cemetery.

Last summer a vote of no confidence in the parish council was backed by 74 residents after a number of headstones were chipped and plant pots slashed or discarded in bins.

Martin Brotherhood, clerk to the parish council, said the situation had eased and the only real problems had been petty vandalism some weeks ago, probably commit- ted by local youngsters.

He added: “Obviously these issues are of deep concern to some members of the community and we must appreciate that. We are looking at maybe installing CCTV but as we don’t have any power on site we would have to run a cable to as close as we could get it.

“We got an outline estimate that it would be about £3,000 if we could install the power and so that needs to be considered.

“We are thinking of improving the brick built shed and some comments have been made about having toilets at the cemetery, these are the types of things we think we want to do and we want to hear from the community.”

Cemetery issues were raised at a number of parish council meetings last year and the grave damage prompted a letter of concern received from Bosworth MP David Tredinnick.

Contractors G Burley and Sons, a national company operating under royal warrant, also raised concerns that their workers were being intimidated.

The firm, Mr Broomhead said, had been appointed late in the year and due to the length of the grass when they took over, there had been some difficulties getting on top of things.

Nevertheless he insisted they were doing a good job at a much cheaper rate than the previous contractors and had received praise from various quarters, including the church warden at St Mary’s.

All are invited to Desford Library from 7pm today, Wednesday January 11. There will be light refreshments on offer.