Re Hadleigh's Vanity Project.

Hadleigh Town Council is the Burial authority for the Town, the need to extend the cemetery is not a Vanity Project.

Over 12 years ago the Authorities Auditors informed the Town Council that they were running short of space in the Cemetery and that it would take about ten years for land to be purchased and an extension developed.

Because in Hadleigh there was the possibility to purchase land for the extension they Council could not use the existing cemetery for reburials on existing graves.

As a member of the previous Council, (the so called Cabal) and a resident who is prepared to put her name to her letter, the report given by 'A resident' is extremely misleading.

The land was purchased and the planning application paid for out of the previous councils reserves. The Public Works Board loan to develop the site was indeed taken with a repayment time of 20 years.

The first repayments were made out of existing Town Council income, and the resident will be aware that the Council Tax was not increased at that time.

We were obviously aware that until the new site came into use there would not be any income from it, but even if you compute the repayments over the life of the extension, predicted 40 years, at the present costs there would be a significant financial gain.

Since the New Council was appointed there has been much adverse discussion about the extension, but now the Council is having to start using the new land. I understand that the area for Cremations is about to be put in to use and the Council is close to opening the Natural Burial Area. Up until now residents requiring Natural Burials have had to go outside of Hadleigh, predominantly to Private Burial Grounds, but the opening of the new Natural Burials area will increase the income.

I am a resident with family buried in Hadleigh's Cemetery and my own plot booked. I frequently visit the cemetery and even on a week day it is rare to be the only person visiting in the cemetery.

Jan Byrne.

Former councillor Jan Byrne (Picture credit: Hadleigh Nub News)