Burial Ground, Interment and Memorials

Burial Ground, Interment and Memorials

ST DAY BURIAL GROUND

Part 1 – Interments

The fees set out below (a) exclude the digging of the grave and (b) apply only where the interment is made on a weekday or on the certificate of a coroner or registered practitioner stating that immediate interment is necessary.

FEES INDEX

Purchase of Burial Plot (50 years)

Single Grave £650 1a
Double Grave £800 1b
Cremated Remains £300 2a

Internment of Body/Cremated Remains (3)

Child under 5 years/Still Born Nil
Child not exceeding 12 years at date of death £300
Adult/Child over the age of 12 years £600
Cremated Remains in a cremated remains plot £300

Headstones and Inscriptions (4a)

Consent for Erection of Headstone £200 4b
Consent for Additional Inscription £100
Consent for Remembrance Stone/Plinth £100
 

Other Costs (5)

Discretionary search fees/Burial Officer’s fee   From £25/hr

 

In accordance with Schedule 26 to the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977, St Day Parish Council, being the Burial Authority for the Parish of St Day, resolved at their meeting on 13th November 2023 that the Fees and Charges, as above, shall operate in respect of St Day Burial Ground, from 1st January 2024; and shall be subject to review in three years time (1st January 2027).

1a. Dimensions = 8’ x 3’6’’, depth 4’6’’ (2400mm x 1100mm, depth 1400mm)

1b. Dimensions = 8’ x 3’6’’, depth 6’6’’ (2400mm x 1100mm, depth 2000mm)

2a. 600mm sq.

3. Where a grave/plot has not been pre-purchased the Interment fees are in addition to the cost of the purchase of the grave/plot

4a. The Parish Council has the absolute right to consent to or refuse the erection or laying down of any stone or any inscription thereon.

4b. The term ’Headstone’ shall include the provision of a single/double vase and then only within the limits of the headstone plinth. (Max 3’ high)

All fees stated above are payable forthwith. Non-payment of fees in respect of the purchase of any plot or for consent to erect or lay down a stone shall render void such purchase or consent and in the case of the latter, any stone erected or laid down shall be removed forthwith by the monumental mason concerned on demand of the Clerk of St Day Parish Council.

REGULATIONS

General Information (1.1 – 1.4 stand unless authorised by St Day Parish Council due to exceptional/extenuating/cultural circumstances).

1.1 There shall be no borders/surrounds, planting, or other ornamentation on graves in front of the plinth.

1.2 No planting of flowers, shrubs or trees shall be permitted on graves.

1.3 No receptacles, except a specially designed single vase (see 4b), shall be placed on the grave space and then only within the limits of the headstone plinth. For safety reasons, no glass vases or

receptacles shall be permitted.

1.4 Any items placed on a grave/plot not in compliance with the provisions above shall be removed and disposed of without recourse to the registered owner(s) of the grave/plot. The Parish Council recognises that mourners may wish to place mementos and other tributes on the grave following the interment. This clause will therefore not take effect, except for health and safety reasons, for a period of three months after the interment.

1.5 Dogs shall only be permitted in the cemetery if the dog is always kept under control and does not cause any nuisance to any other user of the cemetery. Any mess shall be picked up and disposed of properly.

1.6 To respect the sanctity of the cemetery, the playing of any games whatsoever in any part of the cemetery is strictly prohibited. Alcohol is not permitted in any part of the cemetery.

 Digging of Graves

2.1 Upon receipt of a properly completed application from an Undertaker, the Burial Officer shall allocate a grave space unless an Exclusive Right of Burial is extant, and mark it on the ground.

2.2 Arrangements for the digging of graves shall be made by the Undertaker. Any damage caused to grassed areas shall be made good at the Operator’s/Undertaker’s expense. Where possible, excavated material shall not be placed on existing graves and shall, in any case, be placed on suitable boards etc. to prevent material being left on the grass. Excess turf cut from a grave shall be placed in a designated area for re-use once settlement has ceased.

2.3 All graves shall be refilled level with existing ground and excess excavated material shall be removed, or used to level other sunken plots.

2.4 No work shall take place in the cemetery before 8am or after 4pm unless agreed otherwise by the Burial Officer. No work shall take place on Saturdays, Sundays or any bank or public holidays, except with the consent of the Burial Officer. Any excavation work shall be required to be suspended for the duration of a funeral.

 Exclusive Rights of Burial

3.1 By Article 10(6) of the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977, no body shall be buried or cremated or remains interred or scattered in or over any grave or vault in which an exclusive right of burial for the time being subsists, except by, or with the consent in writing of, the owner(s) of the right.

3.2 The lease period for granting of Exclusive Rights of Burial shall be 50 years and the grant can be issued in single or joint ownership (up to a maximum of three individuals).

3.3 The Exclusive Rights of Burial shall be purchased before a burial takes place or a memorial can be placed on a grave space.

3.4 Written consent for any memorial works shall be required from the owner(s) of the Exclusive Rights of Burial and shall be submitted to the Council. In the case of multiple ownership, all signatures shall be required to erect a memorial.

3.5 Transferring of Exclusive Rights of Burial may be assigned by Deed or bequeathed by Will, for which sight of a legal document is required by the Council. A Form of Assignment is issued by the Council at the time of purchase of the Exclusive Rights of Burial. Further information regarding the procedure for the transfer of ownership during the life of the registered owner can be obtained from the Council.

3.6 The Council may, from time to time, extend the lease period of any grant on receipt of written application from the owner(s) (subject to any modification of terms and conditions) for a period up to 50 years from the date of which the extension is granted.

 Erection of Headstone/Memorial

4.1 An application form for all proposed memorials and inscriptions shall be submitted to St Day Parish Council for approval and all appropriate fees paid, prior to any works being undertaken on site. This form shall usually be submitted by an accredited Memorial Mason and shall include two detailed sketches and measurements (including width and depth of plinth etc.) of the memorial.

4.2 No headstone shall exceed the erected height above ground level of 3m and the width shall not be greater than 800mm. No headstone shall exceed 150mm in thickness.

4.3 The base of the headstone shall not exceed 900mm x 300mm.

4.4 The plinth of the headstone shall not exceed 1000mm in length, 400mm in width and 300mm in thickness.

4.6 All monuments, headstones and flower vases shall remain at the sole risk of the owners of the graves and the Parish Council shall not be responsible for any damage or breakage which may occur to the same. No memorials of any description shall be allowed to be taken from the Cemetery except in accordance with a permit issued by the Burial Officer.

4.7 Wooden crosses shall be permitted as temporary grave markers until such time as it is decided to place a permanent memorial, when the temporary grave marker shall be removed. Wooden crosses shall not be in place for more than 12 months, after which time they will be removed by the parish Council.

4.8 Only one headstone / memorial per grave space shall be allowed and shall be in accordance with the Council’s Regulations.

4.9 All permanent memorials shall be constructed and installed by a competent stonemason in accordance with the latest version of the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons’ Code of Practice, and to the written satisfaction of the Burial Officer.

4.10 No work shall take place in the cemetery before 8am. or after 4pm. unless agreed otherwise by the Burial Officer. No work shall take place on Saturdays, Sundays or any bank or public holidays, except with the consent of the Burial Officer. Any excavation work shall be required to be suspended for the duration of a funeral.

4.11 Any damage whatsoever caused in connection with the erection of a memorial shall be made good at the expense of and by the person erecting the memorial and the site left in a safe and tidy condition. The Burial Office shall be informed of any damage and repairs.

4.12 The responsibility for the safety and upkeep, including repairs, of any gravestone or memorial shall remain solely with the owner(s) of the grave or their successor(s) in title and the Council recommends that grave owners obtain a guarantee from the Memorial Mason for all work they carry out and arrange for the Memorial Mason to check the memorial for defects every five years.

4.13 The Council shall make regular checks of memorials. Any memorial found to be unstable shall be either laid flat or made temporarily stable. The Council reserves the right to lay flat unsafe memorials at its discretion if the owner or successor cannot be found or refuses to arrange repairs.

4.14 The Council shall carry out regular inspections of memorials and reserves the right under current Health and Safety legislation to ‘make safe’ any defective memorials found.

4.15 All memorials shall be constructed and erected in accordance with the latest version of the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons Code of Practice.

4.16 If an additional inscription involves the supply and fixing of a new plinth or further section of stone, then a sketch of the proposed stonework showing details shall be supplied and approved by the Burial Officer in accordance with 4.1 above.

4.17 Additional ‘free-standing’ / unattached plinths or non-fixed stonework etc shall not be permitted.

4.18 The Council may, at its absolute discretion, approve the inclusion in the headstone of a proper and dignified photograph of the deceased, not exceeding 4 inches square.

Safety of Memorials

5.1 Under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and associated legislation and in accordance with the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order, 1977, the Council is obliged to ensure safety within the Cemetery and to have a documented memorial inspection programme in place. The inspection programme shall identify unsafe memorials and ensure that they are made safe by whichever method is appropriate. There is also a requirement for the Council to ensure that new memorials are properly and securely erected to ensure long-term safety of visitors to the Cemetery.

5.2 The Council shall carry out a programme of regular checks of memorials. When a memorial has been identified as unsafe and is unable to be made safe it shall be laid flat. Every effort shall be made to contact the Exclusive Right holder, requesting them to carry out the necessary repair. Further information on this programme of memorial safety testing is available from the Council.

5.3 The Council reserves the right to lay flat or remove unsafe memorials, at its discretion, if the owner or successor cannot be found or refuses to arrange repairs.

Cremated Remains

6.1 Upon receipt of a properly completed application form and payment of the appropriate fee, a plot for the burial of cremated remains shall be allocated by the Burial Officer, who will make the necessary arrangements for the plot to be prepared on the agreed date.

6.2 The lease period for the Grant of Deed of Burial of cremated remains is 50 years and the grant can be issued in single or joint ownership (up to a maximum of two individuals).

6.3 Memorial plaques for cremated remains shall not exceed 450mm x 450mm and shall be set in the ground to enable a mower to pass over them. Only “flat-stone” plaques shall be permitted.

Vandalism

The Council shall not accept any liability in the event of a memorial or any part of a grave being vandalised.

Review and Amendment of Regulations

These Regulations form part of the Regulations and Scale of Fees and Charges applicable to the management of the St Day Burial Ground, under the jurisdiction of St Day Parish Council who reserve the right to alter or vary the foregoing Regulations or to deviate there from in any particular Instance, if it shall appear to the Council necessary or desirable so to do.

 

THESE NEW FEES ARE APPLICABLE FROM THE 1ST JANUARY 2024

 

Sarah Moore: Clerk and Burial Officer for St Day Parish Council

Email: stdaypc@gmail.com