Update on Wigton Cemetery from Wigton Burial Joint Committee
June 2019
We would like to give more details on what is happening regarding the cemetery and we hope it answers some of the questions people have.
Wigton Burial Joint Committee is made up of 9 councillors from 3 parishes - Wigton, Waverton and Woodside. It is the only cemetery in Allerdale which is operated independently. All the other cemeteries in Allerdale have been managed by ABC Bereavement Services since the 1970s and, as far as we understand, do not get any funding from the borough council. They are self-sustaining.
WBJC are facing a financial crisis due to Allerdale BC cutting all funding to Wigton Cemetery. In 2014 - 15, the grant to the cemetery was £43965, in this coming financial year 2019/20, it is nothing. 
We have had to act, as if we made no changes there would be a very significant and unsustainable deficit budget position. As a public body our accounts have to be submitted to the Audit Commission and this Committee and all 3 councils would come under intense scrutiny if it came to light that the precarious financial position was known about and no action had been taken.
It is difficult and almost impossible to accurately predict or plan burials/funerals which might happen and also residents of the area purchasing burial plots - we are working with unknown revenue streams which impacts on the ability to budget in the coming years. We have no reassurance that the income would meet our current costs. 
We began developing a Business Plan last year in consultation with other bodies and this showed we had to reduce expenditure. Raising the Council tax and the cost of grave spaces and burials were all options which were considered but both were not deemed acceptable as they would be too expensive and would not raise the amount of money needed every year if things remained as they were. It was therefore decided by the Committee that the only other option to look into was making the post of Curator redundant as this would save the most money. We engaged a firm of solicitors to undertake this process as it is governed very strictly by Employment Law and we had to follow all procedures, policies and the law. That process is now complete and, after consulting the solicitor's report, the decision has been taken by Wigton Town Council (as the Curator's employer) to make the post of Curator redundant. The date of termination of the Curator's contract is 31st July 2019. We cannot discuss the specifics of this publicly as it concerns staffing issues which are completely confidential under Employment Law and GDPR rules.
We have had some complaints about the grass not being cut in the cemetery and other issues with maintenance. These have been due to the Curator being on holiday and problems with machinery amongst other things. These have been resolved now and the cemetery is looking lovely. Volunteers have planted the area around the war memorial and also clean the Chapel and toilets and put out the bins.
The Memorial Garden has been weeded and the planters now have perennials in, all done by volunteers. The problem with the side of one of the planters has been fixed and the problem with the weeds is being addressed. We are also in the process of making a designated route to the garden via the old path (now grassed over) which runs from the toilet block and down the side of the hedge which will hopefully mean people do not walk over graves to the garden. Signs will be put up directing people along this route which, although not ideal, will be wheelchair accessible. We will see how this works and continue to look at other options when funds allow. 
Our key aim in this whole process is to continue to work to keep the management of the cemetery within the control of the 3 local councils if we can and we are working tirelessly to this end. We have had to make some very tough decisions in the process but these have been forced upon us by changing economic circumstances and the need to make the cemetery financially sustainable.