Council's cemetery and crematorium service named UK's best

The Council was awarded the 'Best Service Team' at last Thursday's (September 9) Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.

A new state-of-the-art crematorium was opened by the authority in 2019 with two chapels - the Maplewood Chapel and the Bluebell Chapel - which can currently hold 120 and 50 people respectively.

Technology allowing the option to view a funeral service online proved to be vital when the number of mourners allowed to attend in person was limited to 15 during coronavirus restrictions.

Councillor Mike Smith, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: "It's a great achievement to receive this award and it's testament to the hard work and dedication that each and every member of the team continues to put in every day.

"It's important that we're able to meet the needs of bereaved families across the Borough and this award demonstrates that we're doing just that."