Sheffield Council launches consultation on new bereavement service
The council is responsible for managing 16 cemeteries, as well as two crematoria and garden of remembrance across the city
Sheffield City Council has launched a citywide consultation process with the aim of developing a new strategy to ensure that its bereavement service will be available to people for years to come.
As part of the consultation, residents and local community groups will have their say on services such as burial, cremation and cemeteries as green spaces.
The council is responsible for managing 16 cemeteries, as well as two crematoria and garden of remembrance across the city.
According to the local authority, approximately 3,000 cremations and 800 burials take place annually across these sites, with further specific services such as the burial of cremated remains, purchasing and displaying of memorials and storage of remains also being offered.
Once developed, the new strategy aims to extend the number of burial sites available; cater for the future needs of a “diverse and growing” population; provide a clear plan for the role of cemeteries as green spaces; and establish a clear direction for funding to enable service growth and improvement.
Sheffield council has also expressed an interest in providing communal spaces for grief, reflection, learning and connection, as well as improving existing building and infrastructure and making bereavement services greener.
Cllr Richard Williams, chair of the communities, parks and leisure committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We want to develop a strategy that will suit our city’s needs for the next 25 years and beyond. Our goal is to devise an ambitious and far-reaching plan that will support our growing city long after we’re gone.
“Whilst it’s not imminent, we know that our existing burial space will eventually get to capacity at our existing cemeteries.”
He added: “We want to act now to find new land on which to build more modern, greener cemeteries and improve the facilities and provisions on our current sites. We also want to provide a robust and inclusive service that caters for everyone in Sheffield.”
