Council and church link up to give town new burial ground

Manager of Calderdale's funeral services Paul Stubbs said extending the graveyard at Lumbutts Methodist Church may provide a suitable solution. "The Methodist church approached the council to see if we want to go into partnership to ensure the future of the graveyard.

"The idea is to provide a burial ground for the residents of Todmorden but also to secure the future for the church as well.

"We would like to form a partnership committee with the Methodist church and think it would be useful for some residents to sit on the committee so we could assess the mood of the village. The graveyard is there for the benefit of the Todmorden district. Neither the church nor the council will discriminate against anyone wishing to use the cemetery."

He said the council would manage the land but it would still be owned by the church.

He added that there were no plans to create additional access to the graveyard saying: "There have been concerns about the roads in Lumbutts.

"At the moment there are between 15 and 18 burials a year. The church is also used for weddings and other celebrations.

"We are not intending to form any additional access on the road. We will use the existing access."

Minister at Lumbutts Rev Robert Bowen said: "We are very happy with the plans. The present graveyard is filling up and there are little or no other burial spaces in the Todmorden area.

"The whole extension should last 100 years.

"We have land adjoining the present cemetery which was bought in 1918 or thereabouts for the purpose of extending the burial ground and we don't think it will substantially change the outlook, but will be in keeping with the area.

"The Methodists will retain ownership apart from a small plot of land we will be selling to the council.

"There will be a partnership to run it including church members, Calderdale and local residents," added Mr Bowen.