A council has denied that space for Muslim burials in a town is about to run out after the situation was described as a “scandal”.
Amman Anwar, a Community Alliance party councillor for Dewsbury West, said he had been told by the leader of Kirklees Council that only “one or two plots” for Islamic interments remained.
Anwar said on social media that the issues were at a “critical point” and “nothing short of a scandal”.
The council said that although Dewsbury Cemetery was experiencing a shortage of plots, funds had been ringfenced for more and that overall, capacity was available in the wider district.
The issue was raised at a meeting by councillor Cathy Scott, who asked leader Carole Pattinson where families were expected to bury their loved ones.
Pattinson responded that the authority was actively looking for more spaces and had a £500,000 budget for it.
“There is sufficient burial space in North Kirklees,” Pattinson said.
“It is true that Muslim space in Dewsbury Cemetery is running out, but there is £500,000 ringfenced to look for and try to establish more Muslim burial spaces.
“Some of that has been used in extending some plots and creating extra places, but the vast majority of it remains.”
Pattinson told the council that despite rumours it was “not true” that officers were not working hard to provide or look for space in Dewsbury and the wider North Kirklees area.
“There are ongoing negotiations with the private owners of the burial ground in Dewsbury which should result in some spaces being available very soon,” she continued.
“Work is ongoing to ensure there will be more spaces in the longer term.
“It is not true to say there are no spaces for burials in North Kirklees for Muslims or for anybody else of any or no faith.”
In early December Pattinson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the council was fast-tracking the hunt for more space.
Back in 2023 a council report stated that a new burial ground would be required for the town, but that there was expected to be enough capacity for the next six years.
The calculations included 600 plots privately owned by the North Kirklees Muslim Burial Committee.
The committee said two possible sites identified at that time never came to fruition.
