Cheylesmore Councillor Hazel Noonan has this week welcomed a decision by the City Council to perform a u-turn on its plans to dig up roads and paths through Coventry’s Historic London Road Cemetery.
The decision follows the City Council suddenly closing a road through the cemetery earlier this year. The first sign of this work was when barriers appeared and a grave was dug in the middle of a tarmacked area. Those whose loved ones were buried along the side of the road were not consulted or notified prior to the work being carried out.
The Friends of London Road Cemetery, who have done a lot of work to help maintain and improve the Cemetery, collected a petition opposing this move and highlighting the lack of any consultation by the City Council. It also turned out that more paths were being identified by the City Council for removal which could have altered the setting of the historic cemetery completely.
As a result of the petition the City Council has now backtracked and confirmed that a path will be maintained through the area that had been closed off, whilst no further paths or roads will be removed in the Cemetery for burial purposes.
Cllr Hazel Noonan (Cheylesmore) said: “The London Road Cemetery is not only a historic setting, but also the final resting place for thousands of Coventrians. I was shocked at the way the Council decided to close a road and dig it up for burials without any consultation with either the friends group or those whose loved ones are buried nearby. I supported the campaign mounted by the friends group and welcome the u-turn that has now been performed by the Council. The key message is that this cemetery is a unique place and any changes should be carefully considered and consulted on, not decided behind closed doors.