Reading council has been accused of kicking the problem of upcoming burial space shortage ‘into the long grass’ as the town could run out of cemetery provision by 2030.
Back in 2021, it was revealed that Reading Borough Council is due to run out of burial space at its Henley Road Cemetery in Caversham by the end of the decade.
Council officers suggested that Henley Road allotments, made up of 127 plots, should be turned into burial space.
The Labour administration at the council is facing accusations that this measure is simply ‘kicking the can down the road’.
Furthermore, there are national discussions over whether abandoned graves could be used to host more recent burials.
These issues were raised at a policy committee meeting.
Councillor Isobel Ballsdon (Conservative, Caversham Heights) argued that the needs of the living should outweigh those of the dead.
She asked Liz Terry (Labour, Southcote) the council leader, what the administration is doing to push for more burial space.
Cllr Terry said: “At a policy meeting last September, Cllr Terry said her preferred option was for the government to pursue legislation for the reuse of cemeteries, as the process for a council to go through is excessively long-winded and can take many years.
“The recommendations omit any mention of pressing for legislation, even though using the Henley Road allotments would just be a temporary sticking plaster, kicking the problem into the long grass.
“Does the administration agree with me that the needs of the living need to be prioritised over the needs of the long-dead with no known surviving relatives?”
Cllr Terry replied: The Council provided a comprehensive response to the Law Commission’s Consultation on Burial and Cremation Law pressing for local authorities to be granted, subject to local consultation, powers to reuse old, abandoned graves.
“The reuse of graves was addressed in previous Policy reports on this matter and the decision was taken to await the outcome of the Law Commission’s recommendations and Government plans for national legislation.
“The Government will understandably await the full and comprehensive review from the Law Commission before determining what legislation to bring forwards.
“The proposition that burial provision is about a choice between meeting the needs of the living and the dead is one to avoid.
“Cemeteries are for the living and their dead and we welcome many visitors to our cemeteries.
“The provision of burial space meets the needs of the living for whom burial of their loved one is a religious, spiritual or personal need.”
Cllr Ballsdon then asked cllr Terry whether the Labour council would “grasp the nettle” by lobbying government to allow graves to be reused.
Cllr Terry replied that the council has already made its desires known, but could face difficulty as grave reuse is not a norm in the country.
The exchange took place on Monday, February 17.
Ultimately, councillors agreed to a £3.13 million project to convert the allotments into burial space.
