Southend-on-Sea City Council ups burial charge amid lack of plots
It is understood that there are only 2,500 plots available, which the council said could be used up within seven years
Southend-on-Sea City Council is attempting to deter people from having burials with a 20% increase in charges, due to a lack of available plots at a cemetery.
As a result of this shortage, the council revealed at its latest cabinet meeting that it will push those local to the area to use crematoriums, as land supply at Sutton Road cemetery is running out fast.
It is understood that there are only 2,500 plots available, which the council said could be used up within seven years.
The increased charge, which was dubbed “a grief tax” by Labour councillor Kursaal Ward, was implemented along with other measures to rid the local authority of its £30m deficit.
John Lamb, the Conservative councillor responsible for regulating services, maintained that the council had looked at alternative land.
At yesterday’s (6 November) meeting, Lamb said: “We did make a suggestion of some land that should be looked at and I haven’t had any feedback. The work needs to start now for the future of our people and our burials.”
Rob Tinlin, the council’s chief executive, added: “Finding alternative suitable space for burials is not a straightforward practice and it requires us to test the land and ensure it is suitable and capable of taking burials.”
Tinlin said that the council had tried to find suitable burial space roughly eight years ago, but that “it posed immeasurable challenges to try and get up to the point it could be readily drained and safely drained”.