PLANS to build a £2 million crematorium could generate £350,000 per year for Wellingborough Council.
A group of councillors have been meeting regularly since October looking into the issues surrounding the cost, building and running of such a facility.
Plans have moved forward and members will soon be undertaking site visits to a new crematorium, such as the one in Sandwell near Birmingham, to see how it operates and how green the building is in terms of energy efficiency.
Leader of the council, Councillor Paul Bell, said: “It has been recommended to commence site visits.
“We are going to a visit a number of crematoriums such as Sandwell near Birmingham.
“These new crematoriums can recycle the energy it produces and is carbon neutral. The excess heat from the furnaces can be used to pre-heat water or could be sold to the National Grid.
“From the undertakers we have spoken to there is a need for a new crematorium. The only other two in the county are in Northampton and Kettering.
“There is no service in East Northamptonshire or Bedfordshire.
“We will be carrying out a lot more detailed research before it goes ahead.
“The £2m will come out of capital reserves and we anticipate the crematorium will generate £350,000 per year.”
Reports on the crematorium will go before the resources committee in April/May and June/July.
The advert to build the crematorium will be publicised in the European Trade Journal in November/December as the contract is worth more than £100,000.
