OKEHAMPTON Town Council has voted to retain land aquired as a new burial ground but allow the church to administer it. The council recently bought a plot of land adjacent to the current cemetery for £4,000 following a lengthy planning application process. It is estimated that the current burial ground will be completely full within a year. Three options were put before members on Monday ? they could have simply given the land to the church or chosen to administer it themselves. Mayor Tony Leech said the latter would be ?an onerous task? and that the chosen option would be the best all round. It will allow the council to retain control over burial charges, and All Saint?s Church will continue to pay part of the revenue to the council, said Cllr Leech. The council agreed to pass the matter of fees and charges to the policy and resource committee. Cllr Christine Marsh had wanted to vote immediately to fix prices at current rates. She said: ?I think burials cost enough as it is.? The cost of a single burial plot in Okehampton is currently £168. It has been agreed that the council will install a path over an electricity cable on the plot.
