In a ‘crucial victory for communities’, Kirklees Council has confirmed it will be investing £500k in burial space to serve Dewsbury and Batley.
A motion from Kirklees’ Community Alliance group about burial space for the two towns was approved at Wednesday 12 February, night’s Full Council meeting. The Leader and Cabinet will now have to uphold their decision to find suitable multi-faith burial land for Dewsbury and Batley and ensure that £500k in already-allocated council funding is only spent in these locations.
The motion called for greater collaboration between the council and relevant organisations, including wider community groups, to ensure the best possible outcomes for local residents.
The group also urged the council to enhance transparency regarding burial site provision, particularly by exploring ways to involve the wider community in discussions beyond the current Bereavement Forum meetings. Members say it is vital that the approach to securing burial land remains “open, transparent, and inclusive”.
The motion was proposed by Cllr Yusra Hussain and seconded by Cllr Masood Ahmed, with the backing of Cllr Cathy Scott, Cllr Paul Moore, Cllr Habiban Zaman and Cllr Adam Zaman. The members say that this marks a significant step forward in ensuring that the burial needs of residents in Dewsbury and Batley remain a priority.
The group said: “This is a crucial victory for our communities. The Community Alliance will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the needs of Dewsbury and Batley residents are met, and that burial space allocation remains a fair and transparent process.”
With burial space dwindling in Kirklees, the investment will be coming at a time when it is much-needed. The matter has been in the headlines recently, with the Law Commission proposing that graves be reused up and down the country amid a national shortage.
These plans have sent shockwaves through the Dewsbury community, with a petition launched in opposition. Before any changes can be brought in, a report will be drawn up by the Law Commission and recommendations made to the government.
