CAERPHILLY council will increase its fees for funerals and cremations by ten percent plus inflation each year.

At a meeting of the cabinet, councillors opted not to choose the top increase of 18.5 percent plus inflation each year for the next five years.

The other price increase options were five and 15 percent plus inflation each year.

A report said the price increases were needed to cover additional maintenance costs caused by extending existing cemeteries, as well as providing improvements and reducing the amount funded by the council.

The introduction of the fee increase, starting in the 2009/10 financial year, will be reviewed after two years.

Currently, the average cost for a standard burial in the borough is £3394.20, of which Caerphilly council gets £836.00.

For a cremation, the total is £2774.48, with the council charging £294 for its services.

These figures represent 24 and 10.5 percent of the total cost respectively.

Cllr Allan Pritchard said: "The increase of 18.5 percent is out of proportion, people will be shocked and I don’t think that really is sustainable in the current economic climate."

With the introduction of the new charges, in 2010/11 the council charge will represent 28 percent of the total for burials and 12 percent for cremations.

The decision means that the council will be putting an estimated additional £14,770 into bereavement services by 2010/11, as opposed to nothing had the 18.5 percent increase been adopted.

The report added that the cost of to purchase an exclusive right of burial in Caerphilly county’s municipal cemeteries is £183 and commits the authority to maintain the grave for 50 years.

The average cost to maintain a grave is £21 per year, a total of £1,050 at today’s prices for the duration of the commitment.

Cllr Lindsay Whittle said: "The additional financial burden in today’s climate is something we’re very mindful of, we know how tough times are."

What are the other councils doing

  • Blaenau Gwent - Increases are planned, but will not be considered until next year, with a view to introducing the new prices in April 2009.
  • Monmouthshire - Plans to increase burial charges by inflation are due to be introduced in April 2009.
  • Torfaen - The cost of burials will be increasing by ten percent as of next April.
  • Newport - Plans to increase the cost of burials by ten percent are currently being considered.