PLANS to sell a field in Grouville in order to raise funds for more cemetery space in the parish will have to go back to the drawing board after being voted down.
A tied vote at a parish assembly this week brought frustration for Constable Mark Labey, who opted not to use his casting vote to break the 22–22 deadlock and saw a second ballot, held after further discussions, go against him by 25 votes to 19.
The field adjacent to Rue de Fauvic was gifted to the parish in the will of its former owner, with initial suggestions that it might be used for allotments.
However, Mr Labey said there were concerns about road safety, parking and a lack of fresh water for the allotments, as well as doubt about demand, prompting the cemetery move.
The Constable said that parishes were required by law to provide sufficient space for those who opted for a burial after their death, and that the current cemetery was likely to run out of space within three years.
“We need to come up with a funding solution for the cemetery issue in order to budget for it, and this would have provided an answer,” he said. “I could have exercised a casting vote, but as a matter of honour, I didn’t do that – that’s the democratic process, and I accept that.”
Parishioners expressed concern at a lack of notice given for the meeting, and said insufficient detail was provided about plots which might be acquired close to Grouville Church for use as an extension to the burial ground.
Mr Labey said that discussions were continuing regarding possible sites which might be suitable for the cemetery, but that commercial confidentiality prevented him from providing further details. He said it was hoped that the land would also be able to accommodate parking space so that attendees at church services would no longer need to park on Rue à Don, describing this stretch of road as “problematic” at such times.
Parish officials are set to hold further discussions about the cemetery issue, and whether to proceed with plans for more allotments, before the matters are brought back to a future parish assembly.
