Soaring gas and electricity prices mean costs at Mansfield Crematorium will rise by nearly £700,000 over the next three years. More than £200,000 is expected to be added to budgets for each of the coming three financial years, fuelled by bills that are “significantly higher” than originally forecast.
A council report says running costs for the Derby Road site will be £585,394 for the 2023-24 financial year, which begins in April. When budgets were set earlier this year, these costs were expected to be £373,745 – meaning there has been a rise of £211,649.
Finance bosses at Mansfield District Council say costs far exceed those expected this time last year for both the building and its cremators. The same sum is also expected to rise in both the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years.
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These sums had been forecast at £379,208 in both years but are now expected to cost £601,356 and £617,923 respectively. These are increases of £222,148 and £238,715 for the respective years, meaning the total extra spending is £672,512 over the coming three years.
Gas price increases are the main cause of these rises, with £167,606 of the 2023-24 increase attributed to spending on gas bills. A further £46,895 will come through electricity increases, with an additional £504 needed for water rates and £1,213 in insurance fees.
The total budget increase for running costs in 2023-24 comes to £216,218 but is offset by £4,569 in minor budget reductions. In a report on the costs, Dawn Edwards, Mansfield District Council’s head of finance, said: “The main cause of the increase relates to gas and electricity.
“Budgets have been updated with the latest price per kWh, which is significantly higher than the current contract price.” It comes as Mansfield District Council, Ashfield District Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council plan a new crematorium to serve the three areas.
Exempt reports on the plans have meant no detailed information has been released about the new site, including where it could be based. But newly-published papers confirm it is expected to cost £4.6million and costs have been allocated into the 2023-24 financial year.
However, Ms Edwards says this does not mean the site will be built next year. She added: “The majority of the costs will be in future years, with the budget carried forward at the end of each financial year for the period of the project.”
The figures will be reviewed by the Mansfield and District Joint Crematorium Committee on December 12. This committee has representatives from the three district councils, which are all responsible for managing and maintaining the site.
Last month, Mansfield District Council also revealed plans to build a new cemetery due to capacity issues at the crematorium’s graveyard. The new site is planned near the Lindhurst Development, on the A617 MARR road, and is expected to provide 13,220 graves over 40 years.
Councillor Andy Burgin (Lab) is Mansfield District Council’s portfolio holder for environment and leisure. He said: “Mansfield Cemetery has provided a place for people to rest in peace and create a lasting memorial for thousands of families for over a century.
“Now we need to create a new resting place for the people of this district in the future. We believe we have identified a suitable spot on the fringe of the Lindhurst development, but this is still at an early stage.”
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