Boss defends funeral fee rise

A Stafford council chief has defended plans to increase charges for funeral services in its budget next year.

Income from the services is programmed to rise from £998,960 this year to £1,183,380 in 2008-2009.

Councillor Stan Highfield, the cabinet member for environment and health, told Stafford Borough Council's cabinet yesterday that the increases – some up to 100 per cent – would bring the borough in line with neighbouring local authorities. The cremation fee at Stafford Crematorium in Tixall Road is to rise by 7.6 per cent from £367 to £395 but the cost of a memorial table for burial of cremated remains will double from £232 to £464.

The burial charges for cremated remains at Eccleshall Road and Stone cemeteries will rise by 54.5 per cent to £550.

Other increases are: purchase of exclusive right of burial in earthen grave, 44.4 per cent (£464 to £670); purchase of exclusive right of burial in walled grave, 27.4 per cent (£526 to £670); fee for grave of depth not exceeding 5ft, 90.6 per cent (£299 to £570); fee for grave of depth not exceeding 7ft, 85.1 per cent (£335 to £620) and common unpurchased grave space, 87.9 per cent (£330 to £660).

The new charges would be implemented from January 2.

Councillor Highfield said that since the controlling Tory group had taken power it had spent a lot of money on the Tixall Road cemetery, including refurbishment of the chapel and garden and a new roadway. He said the council aimed to provide a sensitive service for the public and it had one of the best ratings in the country.

He said: "These changes will bring us in to line with other authorities but we will continue to spend money where necessary on the service and offer a sensitive service to people at a very difficult time."