Parish doubles burial costs

GRAVE concern . . . at Saddleworth Parish Cemetery

...And if you aren’t from Saddleworth, they’ve doubled it again

THE price of a plot in Saddleworth’s historic cemetery has been doubled

And “outsiders” will have to pay double the new cost — four times as much as before.

Saddleworth Parish Council is to raise prices by more than 100 per cent to £1,500. And those from outside the picturesque villages will pay £3,000.

The charges come into force on Monday.

The dramatic rise comes as councillors attempt to make the Uppermill’s Gellfield Lane cemetery a more pleasant place to be laid to rest than its current “overgrown” condition.

Chairman Councillor Brian Lord has slammed the plans as too steep.

But Councillor Neil Allsopp defended the rise, intended to cover the cost of essential repair work to iron gates, do grounds maintenance and even extend the land occupied by the cemetery.

He said: “The cemetery won open-space awards 20 years ago for being an outstanding example of design, but now it looks untouched, uncared for. A lot of work needs to be done to bring it up to standard.”

Councillor Lord is adamant that the rise is too much.

“The graveyard has always made a profit, without prices having to be put up. We are going to get slammed for this.

“This is a service we provide for the people of Saddleworth, but £1,500 extra for people not living in Saddleworth is just too much.”

The new charges will be 750 for exclusive rights to a plot and £750 for burial.

Prices have increased by over 100 per cent since they were last raised three years ago.

Oldhamers pay around £1,200 to be buried elsewhere in the borough.