Graves could be re-used

9:40am Wednesday 12th September 2007

MALVERN Town Council could be given the power to re-use graves at the town cemetery in Wilton Road.

Central government indicated this summer that it would take steps to allow burial authorities to re-use graves, and the topic is now being discussed nationally by the Burial and Cemeteries Advisory Group.

Although the group has not yet published its conclusions, Malvern Town Council's operations committee will be discussing the possibilty at its meeting on Tuesday, September 18.

In his report to the meeting, town clerk Richard Chapman says that if the council decided to follow this course, extra costs would be incurred by exhuming and re-burying deeper the existing remains.

"It would be prudent that the public are consulted on the issue of re-use of graves in Malvern Cemetery before a final decision is made," he says.

Committee members are being asked to note the report, as there is no concrete information on which to take action yet.