At this time, ashes can be interred in Gedling Borough Council cemeteries between Monday and Friday at a fee of £221.
The service is observed by the Council’s cemetery staff.
Gedling Borough Council Conservative Councillors say that there is, however, demand for this service at weekends, including from working families and those who have family members who are not local to the Borough.
During Wednesday’s Gedling Borough Council meeting, the Conservative Borough Councillors Chief Whip and Group Leader, Cllr Sam Smith and Cllr Mike Adams who represent the Trent Valley Ward, tabled a motion calling on the Council to amend when ashes can be interred in Gedling Borough Council cemeteries and enable them to be done on two Saturdays per month as well as in the week.
When tabling the motion, Cllr Sam Smith said: “We all get elected to serve our local communities and improve the local services our residents rely on.
“After taking a call from a concerned resident who had sadly faced a family bereavement, they were finding it difficult to book in for the interment of ashes into one of our cemeteries.
“They had family out of the Borough and they could only come together at weekends. During that difficult period, this Council couldn’t book that in for them sadly.
“I thought that is one of the local services we can improve so I move the motion which, subject to a business case, is calling for a review of the cemetery operating hours so that interment of ashes can be done at weekends.
“This can be done in many ways, some of those options could include rejigging the rota so if cemetery staff work a weekend they have days off in the week or training up other Council staff who can observe the interment service.”
While speaking in the debate, Cllr Mike Adams said: “This is an incredibly important service doing an incredibly emotive job and one that really is in the milestones of people’s lives.
“It is so important that we get the business case done and do it right and that we also ensure all parts of that process are taken into account, including colleagues that work in this service are consulted on it and have an opportunity to put their views forward. We are a resident-focused group of Councillors and it is important that we look to meet a need when there is one and be there for our residents when they need us.”
Speaking in the debate, Cllr Boyd Elliott of the Calverton Ward said: “The most important people are the bereaved families. This motion sends out a huge message to all residents that we do care and we understand how busy people are these days. We have got empathy and we are there for them at the most difficult time is the message we are sending out by supporting this motion.”
With all Gedling Borough Councillors voting in favour of the motion, the motion was carried unanimously. As a result, a business case reviewing the operating hours of the ashes interment service will be carried out and presented to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration. Gedling Borough’s Conservative Councillors hope this will result in families being able to inter ashes on two Saturdays per month as well as during the week.
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