Montgomeryshire’s AM and MP have questioned Powys County Council’s intention to increase the fees for bereavement services by 65% from January 2016.
Russell George, the AM for Montgomeryshire, has written to the Leader of the County Council, Cllr. Barry Thomas, requesting a meeting regarding the proposals.
In his letter to the Leader of the Council, Mr George says:
"I have been contacted by funeral directors in Montgomeryshire who have expressed concern at the arbitrary way in which some of the revised fees have been calculated.
"I fully appreciate the financial pressures which the council is currently facing. However, I contend that the way in which fees are revised must accurately reflect the true cost of the bereavement service provided rather than an implementation of a 65% increase across the board which could be perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a way of generating income from the bereaved and the estates of the deceased rather than merely recovering the actual cost of the service. I am also interested to understand the rationale for introducing a higher fee for burial and cremation on a Saturday.
"I would be interested to know what scope exists for the Council to revisit the proposed charges to ensure that any changes inspire the confidence of the public and accurately reflect the costs of the service. I would also welcome the local authority’s consideration of a phased introduction of any changes over the coming years to minimise the impact of any increases on the bereaved."