Cost of dying set to rise in Dudley AGAIN

Families will have to fork out an extra £78 to bury an adult in Dudley, with the cost to rise above £1,000 if the proposals are rubber-stamped. It would be the second increase to bereavement charges in 12 months.

Fees at leisure centres are also due to go up across Dudley.

From the new year, an adult burial is set to cost £1,053, up from £975. Burying a child would go up from £194 to £209.

The cost of an adult cremation is due to rise by £65 to £877. Cremations for children would go up from £97 to £105.

The burial or cremation of a stillborn baby, or a baby aged under one month, will remain free under the plans.

Bosses at the Conservative-controlled authority said the proposed hikes are to 'account for inflationary increases and pressures that individual services face' and had been 'calculated at a level required to meet income targets set as part of the council's budget'.

However, if the increases go ahead, it means adult burials would cost families £150 more than in 2016. A final decision on the increases is due to be made on January 10.

Leaders admitted in October, when the council's budget was announced, that bereavement fees would be expected to rise.

The cash-strapped authority is aiming to save £246,000 in the area in 2018/19.

Labour councillor Ken Finch said he was 'disappointed' by the proposals and said the extra cash generated would only be a 'small gain' compared to the hardships facing families. Fees also went up last year when Labour ran the council.

Councillor Finch said: "Burial fees are sky high and by contributing to it locally it is just a small gain and people can't afford it.

"Everybody can't find three or four thousand pounds when someone unfortunately passes away.

"At least two people have come to me in the last two months asking if they can have help towards burial costs and people are now having to reach out to charities."

A council report, defending the proposals, said: "Any increases are generally in line with inflation and every effort has been made to minimise increases and in some instances to hold prices at current levels."

Price hikes are also planned at leisure centres in Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen.

Membership will go up from £52 to 55, under the plans, while 10p and 20p rises are due for various sport and activity classes.

Rises are also planned at the borough's town halls. Hiring Dudley Town Hall for a wedding or family celebration is due to rise from £573 to £601 Monday to Friday and from £694 to £728 on Saturdays.

It comes after Dudley Council revealed major plans to invest in its leisure centres in the coming years. Dudley's leisure centre in Wellington Road is due to be knocked down and rebuilt and facilities in Stourbridge and Halesowen revamped.

The baby memorial garden at Gornal Wood Crematorium is also due to be revamped to provide grieving families with a larger space.