'Enough is enough': Residents to hold public meeting over 'disgusting' cemetery
Residents whose loved ones were laid to rest at Essington Cemetery have said 'enough is enough' over concerns around its upkeep.
A public meeting, attended by parish councillors, is to be held in the next few days.
The Wolverhampton cemetery on Bursnips Road is strewn with litter from overflowing bins and buried in uncut grass, with some elderly residents seen cutting the grass around their loved ones' gravestones with scissors.
It comes as the cemetery remains under administration, with no maintenance staff on site to keep it clean and tidy.
Essington Parish Council's central ward Councillor Sam Curtis and her husband Andy have organised the meeting.
Councillor Curtis said the subject is close to hers and many of her colleagues' hearts, as they all have loved ones who are buried there.
She said: "I brought the matter to the table at our parish council meeting last Monday, and my fellow councillors are all in support of it, and agree that something needs to be done.
"My dad and uncle are buried there, and other councillors' relatives are also buried there, so it is very close to our hearts, as well as the hearts of the residents. We have support from the local district councillors on the parish council team who are also trying to help in every way they can."
The purpose of the meeting, Sam said, is for residents to voice their concerns and for the group to plan their next steps.
"The main point is to get the lawns maintained," Councillor Curtis added, "It is disgusting; the bins are overflowing and the skips are brimming with waste.
"On a personal note, when I go to visit my dad, I should be going there to pay my respects and be alone with my thoughts, not focusing on the jungle that this cemetery has turned into.
"My 82-year-old mother did not get any notice that it was going into administration, no one did, and she does not know if she'll be able to rest next to my dad now."
Her husband Andy said: "We are very happy that people are supporting this meeting and interested in coming. We can hopefully get some leads going, even if it's just an action group to get our voices heard and make some noise.
"So many people are disgusted with the state it is in and how it has been allowed to get to that level. We've seen people going up and cutting the grass with scissors.
"We've all got to go to our grave at some point and we'd like to think we will go somewhere that is maintained."
He said around 70 people are expected to show up at the meeting, which is taking place on Wednesday, May 8 at 7pm in Essington Community Centre, Hobnock Road.
Valerie Millington, whose husband was laid to rest at the cemetery, said: "We want something sorted. As a group it might be more effective than as an individual. We can't leave it like this, it's terrible now. The past week the grass has grown and grown.
"We need something done for the peace of mind for all of us."
Although the private cemetery has changed hands over the past year, it is now under the administration of Simon Jagger and Cameron Gunn, of business advisory and restructuring firm ReSolve Group.
The pair were appointed as joint administrators on November 21, 2023, with a 'view to secure a sale' of the business – which is still yet to happen.
Although they have not sold the business yet, a spokesperson for ReSolve said they have 'identified a prospective purchaser' for the land and assets and are 'working to progress a sale'.
Mr Jagger has also stated that, with regards to the upkeep of the land, they are looking to appoint maintenance workers.
Simon Jagger, Joint Administrator of Essington and Partner at ReSolve, commented: "Whilst the Administration remains ongoing, we recognise the need for an increased level of maintenance at the cemetery, especially as the seasons change, and we are taking steps to address this as quickly as possible."