Only ‘50 grave spaces’ in Rotherham Cemetery’s Muslim section

Concerned residents formed a liaison group to challenge and scrutinise Rotherham Council after the area flooded in 2022.

A lack of space has also been flagged and group members attended this week’s (22) cabinet meeting to give an update.

One said: “Currently, we have about 50 grave spaces left. Clearly, it’s a major concern for us Muslims. We have nowhere else to go.

“Sheffield have about 1,500 grave spaces and they are still creating havoc. We have got 50 and nothing is happening about it.

“To make the place fit for purpose will take time. We don’t have time. We have around 50 grave spaces, that is at tops nine months.

“That’s the shelf life left on this graveyard.”

Cllr Saghir Alam, cabinet member for corporate services, community safety and finance, said: “I’m also concerned that we are fast running out. The deaths we have had in the last two or three years, if this continues on, there will be a very serious shortage. We will take this back to Dignity and get reassurance as urgently as we can.

Cllr Chris Read, Rotherham Council leader, told Monday’s meeting that the authority would not let the cemetery at East Herringthorpe run out of spaces for Muslim burials.

He added: “We will ensure that there are spaces there, whatever it is that we have to do to make sure that the Muslim community can be buried in a dignified way when those burials need to take place.