Chelmsford council funeral cost rise 'completely immoral' - MP

Chelmsford City Council is proposing a 12% rise in funeral fees

Plans to increase the cost of funerals in one council area have been labelled "completely immoral" by an MP.

Chelmsford City Council is considering raising fees from April by 12%, which equates to about £100 for cremations.

Chelmsford's Conservative MP Vicky Ford urged the authority to think again.

The council's Liberal Democrat leader Stephen Robinson said the move was necessary due to a "completely unprecedented" £7.5m shortfall.

The proposed 12% increase means the new price would still be below the average for funeral costs across Essex, the council said.

Mrs Ford said: "At a time when so many people are suffering and have lost loved ones, as well as worrying about their financial position, it seems completely immoral to be hiking up funeral charges."

She added: "I would urge the Lib Dems to look again and not hike up taxes, especially not hike up the funeral charge."

Chelmsford City Council's Liberal Democrat administration said the increases were needed as it had not had enough government support

The Conservative opposition leader on the council, Roy Whitehead, said the authority should use its reserves to plug the funding gap "as a short term measure".

"To introduce excess charges now is hardly the way to run this council," he said.

But Mr Robinson said the increase was needed as the Conservative government "has failed to make good on their promises to protect council's from Covid-related costs".

He added: "Chelmsford Council was facing a £7.5m shortfall for the coming year which is completely unprecedented."

The plan will be debated at the authority's full council meeting on 24 February.