Cost of burials and cremations could be on rise

West Lindsey’s Prosperous Communities Committee met last Tuesday (October 23) and agreed a number of charges for a number of services could go up by increase of 3.4% for 2019/20.

The increase, if approved, could be applied to services such as cemeteries, land charges, planning and waste.

WLDC currently maintains the open cemetery on Legsby Road, Market Rasen, and the open cemetery on School Lane, Springthorpe.

A report on the WLDC website states: “Costs for maintaining the grounds at these sites have been steadily increasing, but the income received from the sites is small and therefore the council heavily subsidise these areas.

“There are two service charges applied to the cemeteries - Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB) – allocation of grave space for a period of 99 years, and memorials and inscriptions – permission for erection of memorial or adding of inscription to existing memorial.”

According to the report, burying cremated remains could cost £258.50 for 2019/20 - a rise of £8.50 from 2018/19.

A burial would cost £517 for 2019/20 - an increase of £17 from 2018/19.

Permission to install a memorial bench, or to plant a memorial tree, could rise from £75 (2018/19) to £77.50 (2019/20).

In terms of planning, the committee is proposing the charge of pre-application advice is increased. For example, pre-application advice regarding a development of more than 50 homes could cost £4,333.20 for 2019/20 - an increase of £841.

The proposed changes will go before the authority’s Corporate Policy and Resource Committee and ultimately full council in March for approval.