Burial fees to rise 15 per cent
Burial and cremation fees will rise by up to 15 per cent under plans announced by cash-strapped Dudley Council as it battles to trim millions from its budgets.
Mourners in the borough could face the increase from April, if the proposals are approved.
It comes as the authority battles to save almost £60 million over the next three years. Bosses said today the fees would still remain among the lowest in the Black Country and cash would be used to help with finding more land for burials.
They said every effort has been made to minimise the increases being proposed.
Under the plans, the cost of exclusive right of burial would rise from £1,400 to £1,610 for an earthen grave and from £1,573 to £1,809 for a bricked grave. These are increases of 12 and 15 per cent. Cremation costs for an adult will increase by seven per cent from £607 to £650. And the cost of having additional chapel time, including an organ and organist, will go up from £118 to £126 per half hour. The fee for a Woodland grave will go up from £325 to £374.
Councillor Tracy Wood, cabinet member for environment and culture, said: "Our fees for burials will remain among the lowest in the Black Country even with this essential increase. The new charge will help us to identify more land for burials."
The council says the extra money may also be used to improve the services. Opposition leader and Conservative councillor Patrick Harley said: "The increases in some costs for services would occur under whichever party was running Dudley. However, this particular charge is a tax on the dead and applies more pressure on people who have enough to contend with."
The proposals are due to be discussed at a meeting on December 23.