THE cost of dying in York has risen for the second time in a year after council officials raised the price of cremations.

Funeral directors have been informed of the price increase, which came into effect on January 7.

Cremations in the city now cost £395, which makes York Crematorium one of the most expensive in the region.

Other crematoria in the region charge between £270 and £300 for what funeral directors say is essentially the same service.

Funeral director Tony Grundy, whose family-run business is based in Selby, said he was angry the rates had been put up only nine months after the last increase.

He said: "A cremation is a cremation, they are pretty much the same really.

"At the end of the day it's the families you feel sorry for."

Mr Grundy added: "I find it disgusting, and it's not fair on the relatives.

"We have been warning the families about the increase and some of them have been asking about other places because of the cost.

"I am mid-way between York and Pontefract and that's about £100 cheaper.

"We have to pay it unfortunately, there's not a lot we can do about it."

Andrew Waite, York area spokesman for the association of funeral directors, said: "It's difficult to cope with the situation where local authorities increase their charges more than once a year."

Five years ago the cost of cremation in York was £79, a fifth of the new charge.

"From a logistics point of view it presents a problem because funeral directors print price lists and they will all have to be updated.

"But, more importantly, this is very difficult for the families to understand," he said.

Andy Hudson, acting director of environmental health, defended the council's decision.

He said: "We only have a price rise once a year and it will not go up in April.

"If you want to be pedantic you could say that we are introducing the increase three months early."

Mr Hudson said that a Best Value review of the crematorium's services was due to start soon, looking at the running of the crematorium and at how it performs.

He said: "In the absence of any recommendations, the fee will be put up at the same time next year."

Updated: 10:33 Wednesday, January 23, 2002