Council backs £4.7m switch to electric cremators

Councillors have approved plans to replace ageing gas cremators at Grimsby Crematorium with electric ones.

North East Lincolnshire Council said the move would cost £4.7m, but would deliver better value for money and cut emissions.

The proposals were backed in a vote by the council's cabinet at a meeting on Wednesday.

Henry Hudson, portfolio holder for environment and net zero, described it as "a vital investment in an essential service for our community".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a £1.5m grant from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme would help with the cost, with the remainder coming from council borrowing.

The authority said the existing gas cremators were nearing the end of their operational life, a like-for-like replacement would cost approximately £5.7m, provide no environmental benefits, involve 12 weeks of downtime and require temporary units at a cost of about £40,000 a week.

Gas alternatives would also not qualify for grant funding, a spokesperson added.

Hudson said the investment would ensure a reliable service.

"We are not only ensuring that the crematorium can continue to operate reliably for many years to come, but we are doing so in a way that reduces our carbon footprint and delivers better value for money," he said.

"Making full use of the grant funding available is the right decision for local taxpayers and supports our wider ambition to reach net zero by 2030."

Work is expected to start in spring 2027.

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