Highland Council slammed for leaving mourners enduring deteriorating state of Inverness crematorium at Kilvean Cemetery
Anger has been voiced over the shoddy state of repair of a Highland Council-run crematorium.
Councillor Duncan Macpherson lambasted the local authority for leaving bereaved families enduring a poorly maintained building and surrounding grounds at Kilvean Cemetery.
Independent Cllr Macpherson, of the Inverness South ward, contacted the Courier shortly after attending a funeral service at the venue.
Citing issues such as a broken bus shelter window, flaking paintwork, crumblings masonry, overgrown gardens and other failings, he is demanding the council fork out some of the income they receive from funerals to improve the experience of people using the facility.
Cllr Macpherson said: “Considering how high the prices paid for a cremation are when compared to other local authorities across Scotland, the general condition of the place now is very disappointing and it looks tired and run-down.
“The roof has solar panels fitted, so it’s good to see that part of the building is being utilised for renewable energy, so that’s a plus point.
“However, when visiting, relatives and grieving families see all the paint flaking from the lampposts, no white lines to be seen anymore in the main car park to identify parking spaces, and the roughcast cracking on the external walls and it looks like it hasn’t been repainted or had sufficient resources invested into the site in several years.
“The bus shelter at the main gates has a smashed window and is overgrown with weeds and nettles for anyone forced to stand inside it while waiting in the rain for a lift or for a bus.”
Cllr Macpherson is planning to press the Council on the issue and added: “I would be very keen to know when the building was last painted and if there is a maintenance plan (other than wait until it breaks before fixing status), for the crematorium and main building.
“Last year I was attending a family funeral and we learned from the undertaker that one cremator was broken down and out of service for two months.
This was originally denied by Highland Council until the facts were spelt out to them and they hurriedly revised their response.
“The current state of the building and the car park are a poor quality for a funeral to take place in, here in the Capital of the Highlands.
“I will be urging Highland Council to spend the money they’ve received regularly from funerals and cremations from the hard-pressed and bereaved families, to be spent on the fabric of the Crematorium buildings and car park and lampposts, before matters deteriorate further and are much more expensive to repair for the public purse."
The council was approached for comment.
