TWO options are on the table in a bid to give Knutsford’s cemetery a much-needed overhaul.

Over the past two years the Guardian has received numerous phone calls and letters from townspeople blasting the lack of care and maintenance at the Tabley Hill Lane site.

It is currently maintained by Cheshire East Council but owned by Knutsford Town Council.

Town councillors agreed that something needed to be done, and put aside money in a bid to take on the maintenance of the site from the borough authority.

A working group has since come up with two options – one to leave the maintenance to Cheshire East Council and the other to hand over the service to Northwich Town Council, which currently looks after two cemetery sites.

Northwich Town Council has a dedicated team caring for the two sites it looks after.

Knutsford Town clerk Steve McQuade said the cost to bring the site ‘back up to scratch’ would cost between £5,000 and £10,000 over the next five to 10 years.

He added that the services which would be provided by Northwich Town Council, for example, would be managing the burial registry and upkeep of the grounds.

Clr Clive Nicholson, who has been leading the cemetery changes for the council, said there was still a long way to go.

He said: “It’s very complicated. These options are under consideration at the moment, but the final decision will be made by the councillors.”