Telford cemetery opening hours relaxed
Opening hours at a cemetery in Telford have been relaxed, after some mourners said the 10am to 8pm rule was too restrictive.
Gates were locked overnight at the Red Lake Garden of Rest in Telford after police received complaints about alleged drug-dealing and underage drinking.
But after a consultation period, Ketley Parish Council voted to change to an 8am to 8pm summer schedule, due to come in next month, and agreed to keep the gate half-open, to allow pedestrians but not unauthorised vehicles through.
Members of the public attending the meeting also said they were unhappy with the upkeep of the cemetery since the dedicated Parish Environmental Team gave way to borough-wide grounds maintenance contractor idverde.
Councillor Joy Francis pointed out that the practice of locking the cemetery overnight started because of complaints from nearby residents.
“They were sleeping with their window open,” she said. “They said there was drug dealing going on at two or three in the morning, and there were young people drinking alcohol in there.”
Councillor Sam Millward-Thomas added: “We were contacted by the police in relation to some of the incidents of broken glass.
“As a council, it was agreed that, temporarily, the gates would be closed at night.”
Parish clerk Emma Atwell told the meeting that a public consultation period on the opening times generated “a lot of feedback” and “a range of different views about the times”.
Liable
Councillors voted to change the summer period opening times to 8am to 8pm, effective from the start of August, and leave the main gate half-open, with the right side locked, to allow people but not vehicles through.
Ms Atwell explained that “there have been issues with unauthorised access”, and the parish council would be liable for any damage that resulted.
Concerning the upkeep of the cemetery, Councillor Millward-Thomas said explained that idverde, the UK’s largest landscaping and grounds maintenance company, took over the Telford and Wrekin Council grounds maintenance contract in April. At the same time, Ketley Parish Council started using the firm to mow and strim grass in the cemetery – a job that had previously been done by a dedicated parish environmental team.
“We were told, when we met with the contractor, that we would get the same level of standard,” Councillor Millward Thomas said.
He added that he couldn’t comment on the inspection regime idverde operate under, but clerk Emma Atwell said there were “penalties in place” already.
Last October, when announcing the terms of the 2019-2029 £4.2 million-a-year deal between Telford and Wrekin Council and idverde, borough council Neighbourhood Services chief Angie Astley said the incoming contractor would face 32 performance indicators, with penalties for non-compliance.
By comparison, she told the customer, community and partnership scrutiny committee, previous contractor Telford and Wrekin Services had just two annual targets.
