Issue - meetings

This item is due to be the subject of pre-scrutiny at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee scheduled to take place on 10^th March 2025.  Any recommendations arising from that meeting will be published in a supplementary pack for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

The Environmental Services Manager presented the Future Cemetery Provision report for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

In doing so it was reported that, following the elections in May 2024, Members requested that Officers identified potential alternatives for burial provision within the Borough. This was undertaken and a potential new site for burial provision was identified on Land North of Morrisons and West of the B4497, B98 0JD.

If this site was to be investigated further, it would still result in the need for further burial provision whilst the investigation took place. It was therefore proposed within the report that a site within the Abbey Cemetery and Redditch Crematorium, previously used for scattering of ashes, be repurposed to provide ten years of further burial provision.

An further proposal contained within the report was that burial provision be considered as part of the development of the Redditch Local Plan which was currently underway.

Members thanked Officers for their hard work in respect of this sensitive matter. It was acknowledged that the use of the previous scattering area at the Abbey Cemetery and Redditch Crematorium could be upsetting for those who had used this area previously. However, it was confirmed that there would be detailed searches of records and communications provided to those residents who had used this site previously. These communications would be made through social media, websites, and notices posted at the location to inform people of the proposed future use. Residents would be listened to and reassured that this would be an open and transparent process throughout. An appropriate memorial could also be considered at this location if required in the future.

Members were pleased that future burial provision would be included as part of the development of the Local Plan as it was just as important as the provision of schools and health care when developing the local area. This would hopefully provide a long-term solution for the future.

RECOMMENDED that

a process begin of incorporating new burial provision within the new Borough of Redditch Local Plan.

RESOLVED that

1)    the Land located at the current Abbey Cemetery site, used previously as an ashes scattering area be utilised for earth burial provision for an interim period of up to ten years commencing in January 2027.

2)    A review be commissioned of the potential to use the site at Land North of Morrisons and West of the B4497, B98 0JD for burial provision in the long-term.