Crisis meeting called for cemetery
Grieving relatives have been left upset following a spate of thefts, damage and anti-social behaviour at a Staveley cemetery.
Toby Perkins, MP for Chesterfield, has called for a crisis meeting to discuss the problems following a talk with concerned families.
Toby said:“People are understandably angry and upset that the graves of their children, parents and grandparents are not being respected. They are placing gifts and sentimental items on their loved ones graves and they cannot be sure they will still be there the next time they visit”.
Toby was contacted by Staveley resident Amy Goucher, who has set up a Facebook campaign group and organised a petition calling for more security at the cemetery following thefts from her grandfather’s grave.
Toby added: “There appears to be two main causes of problems at the cemetery, one is children who do not understand or appreciate the sanctity of the graves and cause damage and nuisance. The other is older drug and alcohol users, who are stealing items and causing an intimidating atmosphere for grieving visitors.
“We need improve security, but we also to educate our young people. I have now written to local schools, the police, the church and the Council to see if we can organise a coordinated response”.
Supportive comments on the campaign petition state it’s “disgusting behaviour” and “people shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it”.
