A REVIEW of Blaenau Gwent's 'deteriorating' cemeteries has been called for as a matter of urgency.

A council report has revealed that all seven cemeteries in the borough are showing signs of decline due to a "lack of infrastructure investment and subsequent maintenance" in recent years.

It comes after in 2013/14, staff levels were reduced to make savings of £150,000.

Cuts included removing a manager, two gravediggers and seven seasonal grass-cutter posts.

Maintenance of the cemeteries had to change as a result, but their condition has worsened.

Roadways, benches, bins and fences in the cemeteries are showing signs of decline.

At an executive meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Garth Collier said the condition of the cemeteries was the result of "a lack of investment over many years."

A task and finish group had requested for the council to use £120,000 from a crematorium fund to carry out maintenance work.

But at the executive meeting, council leader Nigel Daniels said the funds were not currently available and instead requested for a "comprehensive study" to be undertaken into the issue.

He said: "We need to ascertain the level of work that needs to be undertaken and prioritise that work on a cemetery by cemetery basis.

"Following that we can work out what needs to be done over a rolling programme."

Cllr Daniels suggested the council's technical services department carry out an "urgent piece of work" on the issue.

A council report recommended using £120,000 as surplus funds of £247,000 were anticipated in a crematorium fund.

But while welcoming the need for action, Cllr Daniels said he was "seriously disappointed" the report had reached the committee at this stage as the funds were not available.

"The £247,000 has not yet been formally introduced to the council," he said.

"It has to first go into the general reserve and it is then allocated."

Cllr Dai Davies agreed, adding that the council needed to work out costings before it could proceed.

"We need to know exactly what the cost is before we can do anything," he told the meeting.