For the Attention of:

Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of the Sheffield City Council, Town Hall, Sheffield

WE WANT IMMEDIATE ACTION TO TACKLE THE DIRE SITUATION THAT EXISTS WITH REGARD TO THE DEPLETING BURIAL SPACE/PROVISION IN SHEFFIELD BY THE DELIVERY OF AVAILABLE, AFFORDABLE and APPROPRIATE NEW BURIAL SPACE/PROVISION IN SHEFFIELD, FOR ALL COMMUNITIES, and particularly for the Muslim Community, within the NEXT 24 MONTHS.

1.       For nearly 2 years now the senior leadership of Sheffield City Council have been aware of the drastic situation regarding the depleting amount of burial space for deceased members of the Muslim community, such that at the then current rate of useage, only 5 years of supply remained within the city. There are still no actual concrete plans in place from Sheffield City Council to develop any appropriate burial sites to alleviate this long standing and pressing issue.  Considering the amount of lead time involved in delivering new burial provision, this issue is now critical, with the very real and significant risk of burial space for the Muslim community running out in Sheffield, before appropriate new burial space provision is made available.  This is a significant shortcoming in the Council’s strategic planning and delivery of an essential and sensitive service to the Muslim community.

2.       We the undersigned residents of Sheffield demand Sheffield City Council actively and effectively address this issue at the very highest level forthwith, to turn around this looming disaster. In particular to urgently present a Programme and Project Plan to the community and put in place firm actions that are actively and regularly reviewed by both the Leader and the Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council, so this issue is addressed with the urgency, seniority, specialisms, resources and time that it requires and to work closely with key stakeholders to actually deliver appropriate and effective new burial provision for members of the Muslim community within the next 24 months.

3.       This petition demanding immediate action is endorsed by Council of Mosques South Yorkshire, United Mosques Council of Sheffield, Federation of Mosques Sheffield and the South Yorkshire Muslim Bereavement Trust.