Harrow Council has agreed to extend its shared mortuary service with the London Boroughs of Barnet and Brent for a further 15 years, ensuring continuity of the service following the expiry of the current agreement on 31 March 2026. The agreement, in place since 2015, will see Brent Council continue as the host authority for the service, located at Northwick Park Hospital.
The renewal of the inter-authority agreement includes a significant capital upgrade to modernise facilities and increase capacity, including the addition of bariatric-capable storage. The upgrade also aims to increase capacity, strengthen resilience and ensure ongoing legal compliance
. Harrow's contribution to this upgrade will be £693,000 in capital funding, which has already been allocated, and an annual revenue provision of £200,000 from 2026-27.
The Cabinet, which met on Thursday 19 March 2026, approved the recommendations to continue the joint management and funding of the service. Authority has been delegated to the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy to enter into the new agreement and lease. This new 15-year agreement will run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2041, and includes a 10-year break clause, alongside a new 99-year lease for the adjoining site.
While alternative options, such as constructing a standalone mortuary, were considered, they were deemed significantly more expensive and unnecessary given the strong, effective partnership already in place. The anticipated operational benefits of the modernized facilities include improved resilience through shared capacity during peak demand; achieve efficiencies through joint procurement and coordinated planning; enhance service quality for residents and the Coroner; maintain compliance with HTA standards; and secure long-term infrastructure investment to meet future demand.
The Cabinet's decision was documented in the public reports pack for the meeting on Thursday 19 March 2026, available here.
