No cemetery memorial bench allowed for murder victim Keeley Bunker

Thousands of people supported a campaign to allow Keeley’s family to install a bench at her grave in Tamworth. She was just 20 when her life was cut short by former school friend Wesley Streete.

Tamworth Borough Council stopped allowing memorial benches and trees to be added to its cemeteries more than a decade ago amid concerns it would not be possible to accommodate all requests.

But the calls to allow Keeley’s family to site a bench in Wigginton Cemetery prompted the authority to review its cemetery regulations.

Councillor Thomas Jay, who chairs the corporate scrutiny committee, told this month’s full council meeting: “We ended up having two meetings – we had a good debate and discussion. The case that meant this was referred to scrutiny was a high profile and emotive case but in the committee we were looking at it as a whole policy.

“Throughout the discussions it was clear that as it was it should remain, with no changes to the main policy, because there is a space issue in Tamworth especially into the future.

Recommendations

“It was referred back to the full council that there should be no changes to the policy. There were some additional recommendations to the cabinet to look at the fact that there is an existing memorial process for plaques which isn’t taken up, so there must be a reason for that, and alternative options that grieving families can have some kind of memorial.

“We said no to the change in existing policy but to look into what else there could be for people who want a memorial.”

Outgoing council leader Danny Cook, who called in December for the matter to be referred to the scrutiny committee for further consideration, said: “They were two very long meetings where all members of the committee from all sides of the chamber really put their heart and soul into looking at this correctly how the council approaches this matter.

"On the back of that recommendations came to cabinet on the 4th of February which were the policy was correct, that we do it for the right reason, but there are other matters we can look to tidy up long term – do we need a memorial garden and is the plaque scheme the correct way to approach things? Cabinet has endorsed the fact the policy is correct.

“I have already written to Keeley Bunker’s family offering further discussion if they wish around potentially placing the bench somewhere else in Tamworth and offering to work with the family as best we can to try and come to some resolution. But at this time it is not possible to site the bench in Wigginton Cemetery.”