COUNCILLORS are warning that land is desperately needed as Abergele graveyards are filling up.
Councillors John Pitt and Sam Rowlands say that burial space in the town is at a premium.
Despite the fact that £75,000 has been set aside for land purchase, it is likely that the money will be reabsorbed into the budget until next year as no suitable grounds are for sale.
Cllr Pitt said: “It’s essential that we get a new burial ground, otherwise Abergele bodies will be sent all over the county, which is not a happy prospect for me, especially as I’m of that age group, being over 70.
“I don’t want to be transported to some remote spot in the county.”
Cllr Pitt said that the Burial Board had looked two acres of land at Gwrych Castle, which was found to be unsuitable as it had an underground water course running through it.
Cllr Pitt said: “We also went to St Geoges road and Llanfair Talhaiarn road, but there were no willing sellers. I love to hear from anyone who is interested in selling land. We don’t want to go to compulsory purchase as a last resort.”
Cllr Sam Rowlands, who is also a Conwy County councillor, said that at a recent cabinet meeting, the cabinet member for transport requested that the money be given over to the highways department.
Cllr Rowlands said: “The money has been sat there for 10 years, and they say that means it should be put to use. But to my mind that makes it more important that we have the money now, as we don’t know when suitable land will be available.”
Lyn Davies, of Conwy County Borough Council’s Environment Service, said: “Conwy Council together with the Town Council and local Burial Board have been looking for land to create a new cemetery in Abergele for many years.
“We’ve advertised and we’ve approached various land owners without success.
“We’re constrained because land to the north and east of Abergele lies in the flood plain and cannot be used as burial land.
“Recently, several interesting options have come to nothing.”
He said that it was unlikely that the project will progress during this financial year and it was proposed that the funding allocated to it from the capital programme for 2010 to 2011 be spent on something else.
He said: “Cabinet will consider this proposal later this month, and a new bid for money for the Abergele Cemetery Project can then be made to next year’s Capital Programme.”