The Chapel of Rest at Hunslet Cemetery has stopped taking bookings for funeral services, with council officers citing a decline in demand and rising costs of keeping the building heated.
In response to a query from Cllr Paul Wray (Labour, Hunslet & Riverside) officers said that families tend to prefer using other venues for funeral services, such as Cottingley Crematorium or funeral director-operated Chapels of Rest. In recent years, usage of Hunslet Chapel has fallen to around 10 or 12 occasions annually.
The cemetery is not in Cllr Wray’s ward and therefore he had not been involved in any consultation ahead of the closure. It is, however, close to the ward boundary and used by many of his constituents. In a post on Facebook her said:
“As promised, I have had conversations with senior Councillors and members of the Cemeteries Service about the closure of this chapel of rest.
“These conversations were productive and reopening the site for use is not off the table but significant investment will be needed to bring it up to a standard to attract sufficient usage to cover the running costs, and to make the building viable and maintainable.
“Officers have advised they will get me exact costs but we are looking at between £30,000 and £40,000 to bring the chapel to the same standards as the others run by the council, including live casting facilities, which have become a significant part of many modern services.
“The more significant barrier however will be how we make the building waterproof and energy efficient.
“Those surveys are due to be carried out by the Council’s Climate and Energy Team.
“Once I have more exact costs, I will update the community and we can begin to explore whether it is viable to bring the site back for future use, and so I can’t make the community any promises until I have that information.”
Photo: Google
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LCC are whittling away the services which are expected.
I suppose they’re thinking that, like several libraries, this is surplus to requirements,and will be sold off