A GWENT council today backed down on some of its price hike proposals for burial costs - but confirmed a 90 per cent hike for residents.

Steep price increases planned for non-Monmouthshire residents buried within the county were reduced at a cabinet meeting.

The Argus previously reported how Monmouthshire county council proposed charging £3,438 for a family grave, from the 2006-07 figure of £1,820. But this will now be £2,000.

A double depth grave is to cost £1,800 instead of the proposed £1,938, and for children under five a grave will cost £450 instead of £750.

Councillor Eric Saxon, cabinet member for regulatory services, described the initial figures as "anomalies" but said the new charges were more in line with neighbouring councils.

But the 90 per cent increase in burial costs for Monmouthshire residents was given the go-ahead. A family grave will now go up to £1,375 from £724.

Councillor Saxon asked for the policy of burials in general to be looked into. Llanelly Hill has 10 spaces left for burials, while Usk has just 20 spaces left. Abergavenny's Hereford Road cemetery is already full.

"We are literally running out of space," said Councillor Saxon.

"The general feeling was that we should do what we could to preserve those spaces for people who live within the county."

Around one in ten burials within Monmouthshire are people from outside the county.

Councillor Saxon also asked for greater consistency between the three area offices.

He said a person who lived within Monmouthshire and then moved to a residential home in another area should not be classed as "out of county".

Funeral directors and some local councillors branded the decision to hike the price of burial costs "outrageous".

The council has to subsidise each burial to the tune of £1,000.