Uppingham Town Council's finance committee has agreed to a fee of £1 for the rights to bury under 18s.

Members of the committee said on Wednesday (June 24) that they would rather the fee were "nil", but for legal reasons a nominal figure must be in place to create a contract.

The town clerk Adam Lowe added that although the rights would cost a pound, he wouldn't necessarily "claim it" from buyers.

The £1 fee entitles buyers to exclusives right of burial (EROB) for a specific grave plot, granting them authority to decide who is buried there for a certain amount of time.

The committee reviewed Uppingham's cemetery fees on Wednesday after finding out they are "substantially cheaper" than elsewhere in the county. For example, it was revealed at the meeting that Uppingham's 2026 internment fee is £395, while the same service in Charnwood would cost £743, and £1,058 in Melton Mowbray.

Mr Lowe reported that Uppingham funeral director Eddie Dorman was in "total agreement" that the prices should be reviewed, so Uppingham could begin "playing catch up".

However, Mr Lowe emphasised to the committee that reviewing the fees was "not about making a profit", since the cemetery maintenance costs would still exceed fee income.

The committee agreed that other council fees, including those incurred to use the town hall, keep allotments and set up stalls at the market, would remain frozen for 2027.

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Committee chair councillor David Ainslie said: "The economy's tough. The clerk is doing a fantastic job of getting stalls set up at the market, the town hall is buzzing and I think this is one of those where we could say 'yeah we're going to increase it by 4%', but I think we'd just look mean."

The committee's recommendations will be presented to the full council for formal approval at the next meeting on Wednesday July 1.