News from Camden Labour

Camden Council leaving the dead unburied at weekends

Muslim and Jewish residents in Camden are being let down by the failure of Lib Dem/Tory run Camden council to allow residents from these two communities to follow religious custom and bury loved-ones on the same day as their death, owing to a failure by the council to operate an all-day service on Saturdays and Sundays.

Responsibility for civil registration passed from the Crown to local authorities last year, ensuring that equality legislation now fully applies to the service. This should have meant that the service changed to balance the needs of people from different cultures and faiths.

However, in Camden services remained unchanged – bringing further pain to families who have been effectively told by the council that they can’t bury their relatives according to custom on weekends because “the offices are shut”.

Labour councillor Abdul Hai, who took up the issue, said:

“One in five of Camden’s population are from the Muslim and Jewish backgrounds. The current weekend and Bank Holiday services are inadequate to meet the needs of these communities. Any loss of a loved one can be a traumatising and difficult time for any family and the last thing they need is a barrier to having a same-day funeral and burial service.

“The council should be assisting people at a difficult time like this rather than hindering.”

Other news from Camden Labour

• Camden's 'flipping' developers should shock local taxpayers - 1 March 2010
• Camden wins biggest boost to council housing - 14 September 2009
• Camden Belsize Park council flats 'flipped' by developers - 1 September 2009