STUDLEY Parish Councillors have ruled out a costly survey of the village’s residents with regards to the now-infamous 57 grave rules and regulations – for now.
During a meeting at the Village Hall on Tuesday (October 6), councillors were left at loggerheads when they could not agree on how to audit the village.
Seven representatives voted against a full survey which, at last quote, would cost somewhere in the region of £3,000.
But the remaining five councillors voted in favour of the survey, which councillors had suggested should be collated by Stratford District Council.
The debate regarding permission for items like scarves, flags, windmills and wind chimes – as well as solar lights – to be permitted on graves is one that has plagued the council for years and is currently being championed by councillors Jill Beard, Brian Dixon, Colin Summers and Karen Somner-Brown.
But although the four are keen to see the village surveyed, they do not support a method which is on track to cost in excess of £3,000.
Coun Summers said: “We would welcome the community to be consulted but without the burden of heavy costs.”
Vice chairman, Coun Jim Bacon, proposed the council look into the cost of issuing individually numbered sheets to residents as a more acceptable cost of getting views.
Coun Bacon’s proposal, which, it is understood, would be a fraction of the £3,000 cost, was supported by the majority of the council with eight representatives voting in favour, one voting against and three councillors abstained.
The council will now look into the cost of doing this and bring it back for discussion at a later date.
