WELLINGTON Town Council is taking a “step in the right direction” in the maintenance of the town’s cemetery.

The council’s chief executive, Dave Farrow, said: “It’s very good news that we’ve been asked to take on the work of the cemetery.”

He emphasised, however, that the town council was solely involved in the grounds maintenance such as grass cutting, while Somerset Council was still responsible for headstones at Wellington Cemetery which can be found in Hilly Head, Rockwell Green.

“It’s only a step,” said Mr Farrow. “But it’s a step in the right direction.”

Mr Farrow told councillors at the council’s full monthly meeting on July 6 that Somerset Council had contracted the town council to take on the work in the cemetery for an initial two-year period.

“The contract value more than covers our costs,” said Mr Farrow in a report. “The agreement is for 14 cuts a year, but there is flexibility to make additional cuts at our own cost should we wish to do so.

“We are very conscious that concerns are regularly expressed about the maintenance of the cemetery and are committed to delivering a high-quality service there as we do around the rest of the town.”

And he added: “Ownership and responsibility for the overall management of the cemetery remains with Somerset Council.”

Complaints have often been made in the past to the WWN about the appearance of the cemetery.

A couple of years ago one reader said: “I have just been down to the cemetery to visit mum. I was taken aback at the way it looked – it was an absolute mess.”

Wellington Town Council’s open spaces team will strive to ensure that comments like that become a thing of the past now it has been contracted to maintain the cemetery grounds.