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Petition calls on Jeremy Corbyn to act on Preston grave decoration row

Posted on - 3rd September, 2018 - 7:00am | Author - | Posted in - Fishwick, Politics, Preston News, Ribbleton
Preston Cemetery which borders Fishwick and Ribbleton Pic: spudfrawley
Preston Cemetery which borders Fishwick and Ribbleton Pic: spudfrawley

Campaigners have called for Jeremy Corbyn to intervene in rules around decorating graves in Preston and the rest of the UK.

Preston City Council is preparing to enforce its two foot and six inches rule in Preston Cemetery after a long-running debate with families who have loved ones buried there.

Now David Hudson, one of the cemetery graves campaign group, has set up a petition calling on the Labour leader to look at the issue as well as Preston MP Sir Mark Hendrick. So far 114 people have signed the petition.

The city council rejected calls for the full-length memorialisation of graves, the preferred option after hundreds of people completed a council-led consultation.

The council says there is a health and safety risk and a greater cost in terms of upkeep from the full-length grave decorations.

Read more: Former Preston Labour leader criticised for handling of Cemetery graves decision

Mr Hudson said: “The cemetery order for local authorities dates back to 1977. We now live in 2018 and we live differently and mourn differently.

“We like to have freedom of our loved ones grave space.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with adjoining plots we should be allowed to have that right and choose how we remember our loved ones.

“18 inches of lawn is all we are supposed to have, but it just isn’t enough for our loved ones grave.”

More than 4,000 people signed a petition last year calling for the council to re-think its enforcement decision.

The existing rules are due to be enforced from mid-September after a final decision was taken in April this year.

What do you think about the grave decoration rules? Let us know your views in the comments below

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