AN INCREASE of cemetery fees is set to increase to 20% following a Town Council Meeting in Milford Haven on Monday (Jan 18).

Despite concerns from councillors and a local funeral director, plans are still going ahead to increase the fees in an attempt to help the Council’s rising deficit.

Monday’s meeting was the second to have talked about the rise, with the first being in November last year. At November’s meeting, Funeral Director at Tom Newing and Sons, Shane Morgan told the council that he thought the increase was “unacceptable in this economic climate.”

Shane, who has been an undertaker for 30 years, told The Herald that he had written a letter to the Council in November last year. He said that the increase would see the cost of fees being increased “way above inflation” and lead to the bereaved not being able to afford a burial and having to opt for cremation when it is not the deceased’s wish to be cremated.

He also explained that eight families have already had to opt for cremation instead of burial, as the cost is currently at £371, which is cheaper than the cost of a grave.

He said: “How can the council justify an increase of 55% in charges over the last 5 years, if this further 20% increase is implemented.

“During the last 5 years, burials have reduced by 10% at Milford Haven Cemetery. This is owing to the cost against cremation.

“I must stress that if this is implemented that as a company we may have to direct the bereaved to the council to pay for the grave when required.”

Shane also brought attention to the fact that Milford Haven Town Council is the only council to implement extra fees when the person who has died is living out of the area.

He asked the Council to consider cancelling this charge just as Neyland and Lanstadwell Burial Board and Haverfordwest Town Council have, and only charge additional fees if the deceased is living outside Pembrokeshire.

The increase was also described as a “tax on the bereaved” by Cllr Tony Eden, who was also showing emotions of disappointment.

However, prices for headstones are currently the same as they were before, and are staying at £176 for the first inscription, and £87 for the second.

Behind the decision is Town Councillor Guy Woodham, who explained that burial fees in Milford Haven are significantly lower than the Pembrokeshire County Council run cemeteries.

He said: “Unlike the Town Council, Pembrokeshire County Council has not yet published its new charges applicable from April 2016 but I would anticipate a fee increase for both their cemeteries and crematorium so, Milford Haven Cemetery fees should continue to remain lower.

“It is important to consider a number of factors with regard to Milford Haven Cemetery fees.

“An initial burial includes a fee for ‘Exclusive Right of Burial’ (EROB) for 100 years – as do the higher Pembrokeshire County Council burial fees. The initial purchase of the EROB does take the fee higher than a standard cremation service but this does not apply to future burials in that grave, the charge for which is lower than a standard cremation service.

“Due to the nature of cremation, this fee does not need to be applied at the Crematorium although there are also increased Crematorium fees depending on the time of day a cremation service is held and how the cremated remains are stored.”

He also explained that the maintenance of the land and buildings at Milford Cemetery has to be covered by the burial fees otherwise this cost is passed onto Milford Haven households as part of the Town Council element of the Council tax.

For 2016/17, estimated income was over £26,000 less than the forecasted cemetery expenditure, a figure that would have been higher had there been no increase applied to Cemetery fees.

Cllr Woodham continued: “To stop the forecasted deficit being added to the Council Tax the majority of Town Councillors agreed that this cost should be covered by the Reserves held by the Council – this decision has had the effect of keeping the Council tax lower in 2016/17 than it otherwise would have been.

“However, it will not be possible to use Town Council Reserves each year to bridge the difference between the Cemetery forecasted income and expenditure and it is therefore necessary to consider increasing the Cemetery fees each year.

“For the Town Council not to increase Milford Haven Cemetery fees, which I hope will always be lower than those set by the County Council, would mean that every year the Council tax will need to include a potentially larger and larger amount to cover the shortfall in Cemetery income and expenditure. I do not believe it is fair for Milford Haven Council Tax payers to bear the cost of this without also proportionately increasing Cemetery fees.”

Cllr Woodham also expressed his final point, stating: “As less land becomes available for burials the Town Council is in the difficult position of having to identify the best way in which to continue to allow the option of burial within the town, without introducing exorbitant burial fees while at the same time not overburdening the Council tax payer all at a time when the trend is more towards cremation than burial.”