Today it was reported that the cost of 30-minute services at Council-owned crematorium on Blue Bell Hill will see a price hike of 48%, from £482.50 to £710.
Medway Labour and Co-operative Group Leader, Cllr Vince Maple, has started a petition urging the Council to withdraw these proposals which would see grieving families pay almost double for the same 30-minute service after the 1st March. You can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/medway-council-stop-the-68-increase-in-medway-cremation-charges
Cllrs Andy Stamp and Vince Maple have written to the Council, urging reconsideration of these proposals.
Cllr Andy Stamp, the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group spokesperson for Communities and Regeneration said that ‘This almost 50% price hike from the conservative council is simply appalling. Given that they own the crematorium, we must be clear that yet again the Conservatives are making families foot the bill for the mishandling of the Pandemic.’
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group added, ‘Almost doubling the cost of a 30-minute service during a public health pandemic is quite frankly disgusting. The proposed fees and charges for Medway Council services have not been published at this stage so I’m concerned that there could be other stealth taxes at a time when so many households are struggling due to issues like furlough. I’ve written to senior council officers to seek urgent clarification and if this is accurate I call on the Council to not implement this callous increase.’
You can read their full letter below.