I welcome the progress being made at Thorncliffe Crematorium and the additional investment to upgrade the facility. Thorncliffe provides an essential service for families across Barrow and Furness, and I am pleased to see improvements being delivered as part of these works.
However, I’m disappointed that the reopening has been delayed again, with yet another Council-led project taking longer than expected and prolonging the disruption faced by bereaved families.
I hope the Council will now set out a clear and realistic timetable for reopening and provide regular updates on progress. People deserve certainty about when services will resume, as well as prompt and transparent communication if further delays arise. I hope the late September date can now be met.
I have also been contacted by a significant number of residents about the condition of the cemetery, particularly concerns around maintenance and upkeep. I have raised these concerns with the Council and hope to see a clear plan put in place to address them. The cemetery is an important place of remembrance for many local families and should be maintained to the standard people rightly expect.