Council Puts Finances in Place for Rebuild of Crematorium

Published on: 5 Dec, 2016
Updated on: 4 Dec, 2016

Guildford Crematorium, New Pond Road, where around 1,700 cremations are carried out each year

A proposal to rebuild Guildford Crematorium, at a budgeted cost of up to £10 million, is expected to be approved at a full Guildford Borough Council (GBC) meeting on Tuesday (December 6).

The requirement to upgrade the crematorium, which provides around 1,700 cremations per year, has been accepted by the council for some years. In January (2016) it was agreed to progress the project by commissioning consultants Press & Starkey to carry out further feasibility work for which £300,000 was assigned.

The gardens of remembrance

A report considered by the GBC Executive at the time stated: “…a redeveloped facility will be more appropriate to the borough’s current and future population’s need for this service. The use of this service was a small fraction of its current level when the present facilities were constructed in the 1960s.”

A displayed notice publicising this year’s award of a green flag

It also identified economic and environmental reasons for the rebuilding work adding: “a more flexible design will allow the council to align more accurately the bereavement services to individual beliefs and customer choices.”

Although the deliberation on this subject was been held in camera by the Executive, with the public and press excluded, it has been made public that the full council will now be asked to ratify the Executive’s recommendation including: a transfer of £4 million to the approved capital programme and that: “the director of environment (James Whiteman) be authorised, in consultation with the lead councillor for infrastructure and governance (Cllr Matt Furniss, Con, Christchurch) and the lead councillor for finance (Cllr Michael Illman, Con, Shalford), to take such decisions as may be required for the delivery of the next stages 2-7 [of the project] and in relation to the capital cost of the project (within the £10 million budget) and the business case.”

Although the report recommends:  “…the rebuilding of Guildford Crematorium be approved on the basis of Option 1 ‘Courtyards’ (as detailed in the Haverstock Feasibility Study),” it does not describe that option, only that further options: “alternate courtyards using existing chapel during project”; “new build with full closure” and; “maintain/refurbish existing facility”, were ruled out.

The crematorium office

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