Proposed Price Increases At Scarborough Crematorium To Be Looked At Again

Proposed price increases for cremations and burials in Scarborough are to be looked at again.

It's after a call-in was heard by Borough Councillors at the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

It was put forward as a group of Conservative and Independents thought the plans were 'poorly timed' due to families stuggling with the coronavirus pandemic.

The call-in also questioned some of the individual changes such as why the leases for trees is being shortened from 25 years to 10 years but the price is remaining the same.

Among the price changes is an increase in the cost of a 60-minute cremation service for an adult from £830 to £915.

Purchasing an adult burial site has gone up by £110 to £1,000 for Scarborough residents, while the cost to a non-resident now stands at £1,300, a rise of £80.

The cost of funerals and graves for babies and children has now been reduced to zero where the cost can be claimed back through the Government’s Children’s Funeral Fund, which applies to be those up to 18 years old.

The cost of using media services such as webcasting and getting a copy of the service has also increased slightly. An environmental charge levied has gone up by £10 to £60 and the cost of using the service chapel, other than during an existing booking, now stands at £200, up £125 on 12 months ago.

A medical referral fee, which had not been changed since 2012, has now increased from £18.50 to £40.

Other prices remain unchanged from 12 months ago.

Cllr Tony Randerson, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:

"Basically they want us to increase costs by 2.5 percent, rather than what we wanted to do was to try attain a flexible service by inceasing some costs more than others.

"Part of the call-in was in relation to the plaques we give on trees and the current comparable rates for these are Scarborough is £45, Harrogate £55, Hull £65 and Leeds £62. So we are faring pretty well.

"I am totally sympathetic with the view that some members have taken about the fact is this the right time to be increasing costs, but I've got to say, the Covid-19 scenario, it could go on for months and months and months.

"These fees are charges are not simply an uplift; in other words, just a means of obtaining money, it's part of a fundamental, comprehensive proposal and this is important, it's going to be focussed on customer choice and affordability."

In the report prepared for Cllr Randerson, Scarborough Borough Council said the new prices will bring in an extra £100,000 to the authority each year.