UNION bosses have attacked the council over its plans to privatise cemeteries and crematoria.

Officers at Kirklees have recommended the council should start up a new company with a private firm taking over the running of all the graveyards and crematoria across Kirklees.

The plans have been described as unbelievable by public service union Unison.

Branch secretary Paul Holmes said: "The council now manages no council housing and no sports centres.

"By 2007 it will have no old people's homes except for mental health, rehabilitation and short-stay.

"The council is running everything into the ground and they're saying they can't afford to maintain or repair it.

"The public would have thought that bereavement services would be sacrosanct.

"But no, Kirklees intends to catapult them into the market place.

"Large firms see councils like Kirklees as a source of income, land and property."

The plans would see the new firm maintaining graveyards, acting as a funeral director and running crematoria and burials - with the ability to raise prices for cremations and burials.

Unison's chief steward for leisure Nick Turner said: "How can the council be advertising posts like the new head of Children's Service on £125,000 but not be able to maintain basic services.

"The public should not be fooled - the aim is to get rid of the "burden" of bereavement services by allowing a large private company to cherry-pick it."

Steve Noble, Kirklees Council's assistant director (environment), said the real picture would only be known once tenders had been received and this could take up to 18 months.

This could mean a delay in investment in new facilities.

He added: "This is not the local authority flogging off the family silver.

"We will still retain ownership over all the facilities."

Mr Noble said services and sites needed a "large" cash investment

He added: "What we are aiming to do is to provide top class facilities and services for the residents of Kirklees which is what they deserve.

Mr Noble said plans before council later this month would set out what work needed to be done.