Community Consultation on the Use of Concrete Burial Chambers

Overview

We are seeking the opinion of local Mosques regarding the installation of concrete burial chambers at Danescourt Cemetery for Muslim Faith Burials.

We have been approached by members of the Muslim community to consider replacing wooden burial chambers with concrete.

Currently for Muslim Faith burials the City of Wolverhampton Council Bereavement Services provide wooden burial chambers, which are prone to subsidence, becoming unsightly and in some cases dangerous. Other local authorities use concrete chambers. As part of the feasibility study, we have consulted with Sandwell, Walsall and Stoke on Trent Burial Authorities. All three local authorities gave the same advice:

• Use the 3’ open bottomed concrete chamber with concrete lids
• Bury to a depth of 4’ – 4’6”
• Stop selling graves in reserve - this is because they could not keep up with demand and risked selling out before they could install more chambers.

The installation of the concrete chamber would require a large financial commitment, and the fee will be passed on to the grave owners at the time of purchase. If supported by the community, the use of concrete chambers would be mandatory.

Currently grave owners pay £163 for wooden boards to be installed to line the grave, the concrete chambers will cost approximately £950 to install, this would mean an increase of approximately £787 for grave owners to pay.

It is for this reason we would like to ask the local community for their opinion whilst we are at the feasibility stage, and before we consider the next steps.

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