Town advised to offer 'concrete ring' burial plots

A select committee recommended 10 concrete rings should be installed at Thornaby Cemetery

Council leaders have been advised to offer a wider choice of burials following a consultation with faith groups.

Stockton Council's Place Select Committee recommended the provision of 10 concrete burial rings in the Muslim section of Thornaby Cemetery.

The rings, which allow the body to touch the ground, would be offered as an option for families who are happy to pay extra.

Councillor Jim Beall, chair of the select committee, said: "By recommending to cabinet that we purchase some plots for concrete rings, we won't be offending anybody and we'll be meeting a diverse need."

Upfront cost

Some faith leaders and funeral directors maintained there was not a demand in their community for chambers or rings, saying they were not necessary for a Muslim funeral, while others feared the rings could adversely affect drainage.

Those in opposition also voiced concerns about the costs which are estimated at between £3,150 and £3,800 each, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In its report, the committee acknowledged there would be an upfront cost but it was "assured by contributors that there were members of the Muslim community willing to pay the extra cost and therefore [we] will be able to recoup the investment made".

Beall added: "The significant thing for me is that it's at no cost to the authority."

The select committee recommended "extending burial provision by offering a small number of burial rings as an optional service for those who prefer them, while maintaining traditional soil burials as the standard option".

The report also revealed that, between 2020 and 2024, Stockton provided 380 Church of England burials, 233 Roman Catholic, 85 Muslim and 1,666 burials of unknown faith.