£10k clean-up at overgrown graveyard begins
The long-awaited clean-up of an overgrown graveyard in Cannock was starting today.
It comes after bosses at Cannock Chase Council agreed last night to formally adopt the graveyard at St John's Church in Heath Hayes.
A total of £10,000 will be spent on tidying up the overgrown site where mourners have resorted to cutting the grass back themselves.
The graveyard closed as a result of being full in 2011. The Parochial Church Council handed responsibility over to the district council but the formal adoption has been hit by delays.
At the cabinet meeting last night, culture boss Councillor Christine Mitchell, said: "This was supposed to go to cabinet in August but I brought it forward.
"I went along to the graveyard and met with families who have loved ones there. It's a nightmare for them to get to the graves. It was clearly in a state of disrepair.
"I'm really sorry for the delay in this process."
She said workers would be moving onto the site today (fri) and the project would take around four weeks, weather dependant.
Council leader George Adamson added: "This should never have arisen. We do need to apologise to families for this."
The clean-up will cost the council around £10,000.
