More choice of burials needed

COUNCIL leaders will be asked to offer more choice for burials after hearing from faith leaders.

- By GARETH LIGHTFOOT Local democracy reporter

Stockton Council's place select committee has finished a review of Muslim and faith burial services, looking at the needs of faith communities and options other than traditional grave plots.

The authority has provided burials in Billingham, Oxbridge, Durham Road, Thornaby and Egglescliffe though Egglescliffe and Oxbridge are now closed, with no plots available to a total of 380 Church of England burials, 233 Roman Catholic, 85 Muslim and 1,666 burials of unknown faith between 2020 and 2024.

The committee had heard from two funeral directors who conduct burials for the Muslim community and faith leaders from several mosques in Stockton and Middlesbrough. Some advocated concrete burial rings, which would allow the body to touch the ground as required by the faith, saying it was affordable for families who were happy to pay extra and wooden frames currently offered by the council were "not fit for purpose" as they could collapse because of water levels.