Shrewsbury Town Council in bid to run Emstrey Crematorium

A town council could bid to try to take over Shrewsbury's crematorium amid concerns it could be sold off to a private firm in a multi-million pound deal.

Shrewsbury Town Council is to consider expressing an interest in taking over the running of the Emstrey Crematorium and the town's cemetery.

Shropshire Council bosses are carrying out a review of the crematorium, along with its chapel and gardens of remembrance, as they try to find ways of saving £65 million over the next three years.

It is also facing a bill of up to £1.5 million to replace ageing equipment at the crematorium in order to cut mercury emissions from dental fillings.

But the town council said it was concerned the crematorium could be sold to a private firm.

And a report to the town council's finance and general purposes committee on Monday asks councillors to consider if the authority should express an interest in the crematorium and cemetery.