Cemetery faces finance strain as cremations rise

York cemetery managers have warned they are facing "significant financial challenges" as bereaved families seek alternatives to traditional burials.

City of York Council said it would take over management of Fulford Cemetery from the local parish council, which warned it faced a "challenging time".

The city council said burial services were struggling due to rising costs and the popularity of low-cost no-service cremations.

It said it would take over the Fulford site until August 2026, to "stabilise the finances of the burials service for the city and determine future management arrangements for this vital service".

Fulford Parish Council has managed burials across York under an agreement with the city council dating from 1965.

Due to this agreement, any financial losses are a shared liability for both authorities.

A spokesperson for the parish council said: "It has been a challenging time trying to establish a financially sustainable service as people have increasingly opted for alternatives to burial at our site and other cemeteries across the country.

"A decision that provides immediate security for the future of the service is urgently needed as Fulford Parish Council is unable to financially support this city-wide service indefinitely."

Temporary management of the cemetery would stabilise the finances of the burials service, the city council said.

It would then work to develop an "alternative long-term management solution".

People with loved ones buried at Fulford have been asked to share their views on the long-term future of the cemetery.

The two councils and a volunteer group will run two action days at the cemetery this month, include grass cutting, to benefit the site.

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