By james art 
The cost of afternoon cremations is rising in Birmingham as some service times are more popular than others, the council says.
Between the hours of 1pm and 3.15pm, fees will increase from £895 to £950.
The price hike is part of a series of fee changes approved by the city’s Bereavement Services Council, which is said to be struggling with financial pressures.
Cabinet member Nicky Brennan said the changes were “essential” to ensure bereavement services could continue to be delivered to the highest possible standard.
She pointed out that a range of time slots and fees would now be offered and claimed that residents would therefore have “more options”.
These changes mean that the cremation fee for a service at 09:15 will be reduced to £750, while the fee between 10:00 and 12:15 will remain at £895.
Council documents say some cremation times are more popular than others and that earlier times are “infrequently used, so choosing a lower charge may encourage greater use”.
The documents state that “the service is considering the feasibility” of offering a 4pm time slot “which, where provided for, will have an applicable charge of £995”.
The prices will take effect from December 1, the data show.
“Necessary Decisions”
Ms Brennan said the council “must deliver a financially viable service that meets the needs of citizens and safeguards the future of service delivery”.
She said the council recognized that “increasing fees and charges in this area is not an easy decision to make”.
She added: “These are difficult but necessary decisions to ease the year’s financial pressures within the bereavement service.”
The current standard fee for adult cremation in Birmingham is low compared to neighboring authorities, city council reports say.
This news was collected by Local Democracy Reporting Office which covers councils and other community organisations.
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