Extra burial space in Biggleswade Cemetery for coronavirus victims outside parish

A September deadline is being imposed initially on the use of the Bedfordshire town’s cemetery for non-parishioners, if the coronavirus crisis demands it.

The potential need for more burial capacity has led to Central Bedfordshire Council contacting other local authorities to establish where this is available, in the event of a surge in COVID-19 deaths.

A letter from CBC’s chief executive Richard Carr aims to adopt a coordinated approach across the county.

The use of the Stratton Way Cemetery for anyone living outside the Biggleswade area was supported by town councillors.

A double fee usually applied in these circumstances would be reduced to the cost charged for someone living in the town.

There were 1,437 burial and 719 cremation plots vacant at Stratton Way Cemetery, as of April 6th, according to a report to town councillors.

Before the coronavirus outbreak there were about 45 funerals per year, slightly less than one a week on average, said the report.

The town council can accommodate a maximum of four internments a day.

Approving more would mean opening the cemetery for longer during the week, or considering weekend burials, added the report.

“Plans for using cemeteries, or land reserved for new ones, mustn’t affect the quality or safety of groundwater or any other water supplies.”

Councillor Mark Knight described it as “a really sobering request”, saying: “I hope it doesn’t become necessary.”

He suggested changing the time period from “the foreseeable future” to read “period of this pandemic”.

Councillor Duncan Strachan asked: “What is the definition of ‘this pandemic’?

“Perhaps it would be better to put a specific date on it, which we could always review, say in six months time,” he explained.

“And, if appropriate, we could extend this or just let it end at that stage.”

Madeline Russell, who chairs the town council, said the end of September would coincide with a deadline for more Parliamentary legislation on the pandemic.

She summarised the recommendation “to agree to the use of Stratton Way, with a maximum number of internments a day, so everything is done in a dignified way, and to waive the double fee for non-members of the parish”.

Councillors agreed the town’s burial space could be used for residents of the wider Central Bedfordshire area until the end of September.