Sunderland woman's anger after being told to pay £3,000 to renew memorial bench to her parents

Lesley Logan paid £2,500 for the bench, close to the Roker’s Cat and Dog Steps, in 2014

Kathleen and Matthew Laing, a WWII veteran, died in 2014 and 2015 respectively. They each have a plaque there, at what was one of their favourite spots.

Lesley says in 2014 she understood she would be paying a “nominal” amount after 10 years for the bench’s upkeep.

However, she says Sunderland City Council are demanding £3,170 for another 10 years when the agreement runs out in November 2024.

Lesley is from Seaburn, but has lived in Brampton in Cumbria for the last three years. She visits Sunderland most weeks.

“My mam and dad came here with their grandchildren when they were little. When the time came I knew which spot I wanted straight away,” she said.

“The plaques will come off if I can’t afford to pay for them; and I can’t. I would never have bought the bench if I thought we were going to have to pay this amount of money every 10 years.

“I did have a printout saying ‘nominal fee’ after 10 years. A nominal fee is what you can afford, but now they’re saying it’s £3,170. They even charge separately for the plaques.

“They’re supposed to maintain the benches. But my mam and dad’s hasn’t been touched for maybe three years. We’ve been asked if we can do it and been told no.

“They want to charge £3,170 and if you can’t afford it they’ll remove the plaque and sell the bench to somebody else. They know they can make more money doing that than charging a maintenance fee. We would be happy with what we agreed; a nominal fee.

“It might just be a bench to the council, but it’s our happy place.”

Lesley’s daughter, Gemma Watson, added “Surely there would be benches here anyway that they would have to maintain. So really they’re charging people for maintenance on what they would have to do anyway.”

In response, Sunderland City Council said: “Lesley Logan signed the terms and conditions for a 10-year sponsorship fee of £2,500 on this Roker seafront memorial bench.

“The city council has contacted her about whether or not she wants to renew and continue with this arrangement.

“This fee for the last ten years included supplying the hardwood bench, a plaque and inscription, its base, installation and maintenance, and this has worked out at nearly £5 per week over the last ten years.

"The maintenance has included painting, varnishing or oiling every other year to help maintain its condition on the seafront.

“Terms and conditions set out that as benches they are there for the public to use.

“These terms help keep benches free for sitting on and prevent any objects or flowers being removed, stolen, lost, or simply blown away.

“All council fees and charges are set annually and the 2023 charge for a five-year memorial bench sponsorship is £1,300, and for a further ten years it would be £3,170. The revised fee structure reflects rising costs.”

The council says Sunderland has 113 memorial benches, with 40 sponsorships renewed in the last 18 months.