Andrew Dismore

Dear editor,

So Conservative  Barnet Council have now decided to remove  the benches placed by grieving relatives to commemorate loved ones at the   privatised now Capita controlled  Hendon  crematorium.

Privatising crematoria and cemeteries never works. Look what happened when Westminster  Council under Lady Porter flogged off their three  cemeteries and crematorium  ( including 2 in Barnet) for 15p. They were neglected and the council had to spend millions buying them back from the asset strippers.

But they didn’t get all the land back, which has led to the recent plan to build the giant Mausoleum at Mil Hill on the former Westminster Cemetery land,  so far successfully fought off, but no doubt the developers will be back.

When will the Conservatives learn  that privatising cemeteries and management is a false economy  and leads only to more tears for bereaved  relatives , as the private managers forever look for ways to increase profits and cut things back at their expense.

yours sincerely

Andrew Dismore, Labour London Assembly member  and parliamentary candidate for Hendon

79 the Burroughs

NW4 4AX