ON SEPTEMBER 29, councillors of the Preston Borough Council's policy and resources committee voted against allowing the Muslim Burial and Welfare Society to carry out the feasibility study to adapt the London Road athletic track for Muslim burials.
Tory councillors proposed this motion and the Liberal Democrat councillors supported it.
The councillors are making this issue a political football.
Even the independent councillor Terry Cartwright, in whose ward there is a large proportion of Muslims, abstained.
There are wards like Fishwick, St Matthew's, Deepdale, Central and Avenham in Preston, where youths are screaming out for some kick-about facilities.
Money raised by the sale of this land would actually fund this need, but systematically the council and its officers are ignoring this.
The needs of the youths of these wards are less important to them than a baseball field at the London Road site.
Their thinking is very parochial and Muslim community will not forgive them.
We even have councillors who believe that there should be no separate area for burials of any community.
They believe that the Christians, Jews and Muslims all should be buried together.
Unfortunately that is not what the communities want, but the councillors are not listening.
Shame.
Vali Patel
Chairman, Preston Muslim Burial and Welfare Society
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