2024

CEM0185 - External contractor to undertake a Grave Maintenance Service within Cemeteries - 311024               

A member authority has an external contractor who is looking to undertake a Grave Maintenance Service within their Cemeteries.

The member authority would be keen to hear from other authorities regarding the following:-

• Do other authorities have anything similar in place?
• If so, do they have a Permit to Work Scheme in place that they would be willing to share details of?
• How much is the fee for the permit?
• How have the Authority indemnified themselves against damage to stones, injury etc?

CEM0184 - Payment Plans - 270924

A member authority currently has a Pre-Paid Cremation plan in place that allows for members of the public to pre purchase a cremation at a specified cost, however, the cost is paid in full when completing the application.

They also have a burial reservation policy in place at the moment with a large reservation fee plus the exclusive right of burial and would like to look in to offering the choice of paying for the fees on a monthly basis over a certain period.

The member authority is seeking information on the following:-

• What period would the payments be over – 2, 3, 4 yrs etc
• Is it means tested or can anyone take out the payment plan</font></li>
• What happens if the plan is defaulted on – does the EROB then remain with the authority
• What grace period would be given to anyone who defaults on payments – 2, 3, 4 months
• How are payments monitored – BACS payments are sent to the authorities bank how does that information then get to the administrator of the plan to ensure that payments are up to date
• Would the EROB deed not be sent out until the reservation fee and EROB is paid in full
• Are there any legal or financial regulations that need to be adhered to in order that the authority and the consumer is protected?

CEM0183 - Tender for the provision of cremation services relating to public health funerals – 270824

A member authority is looking to create a tender for the provision of cremation services relating to public health funerals. They are looking for an end-to-end service, with the provider collecting the body, storing until they have completed the searches for next of kin and whether the deceased has the finances to fund the funeral, the preparation of the body for cremation, the cremation, and the subsequent scattering of the ashes at the local crematorium. 

The member authority also needs to include the option for burial at one of the Council owned and operated cemeteries if necessary for reasons of faith or preference and would like to hear from any other Councils who have similar contracts in place, and if you would be willing to share any specifications for the service that were used in the tendering process.

CEM0182 - Headstone Inspections – 190824

A member authority is looking for the following information in relation to resources employed by member Local Authorities to carry out headstone/memorial inspections across their estate.

1. Do you employ staff specifically to carry out headstone/memorial inspections and to make safe within your cemeteries, graveyards, and crematoria grounds?

2. How many are employed?

3. Is this part-time or full time?

4. Do they carry out any other duties pertaining to the role?

5. What is the annual cost to the local Authority for carrying out this work?

CEM0181 - New coronial /ME procedures – 050824

A member authority is seeking information regarding how the new coronial /ME procedures will work when they come into effect in September 2024.

They are interested in knowing the following:-

1.Do you have concerns relating to what happens where there is what is deemed as a 'natural' death in the community and there are no next of kin.

2.Who arranges for the Local Authority to be contacted in terms of a Public Health Act Funeral?

3.Who is picking up the cost of collection and storage if a death is deemed natural, there is no known next of kin? The member authority’s funeral partner would potentially have undertaken this, then a few days / weeks later the ME's office find next of kin who then make their own arrangements.

4.Who is picking up this cost of collection and storage?

5.Who pays the £100 ME fee where there is no next of kin?

6.What happens to the property in terms of securing and then visiting.

7.How do visit officers looking for documents relating to funerals/wills/estate know that the property is safe to enter

CEM0180 - Issues with companies offering grave cleaning services - 200624

A member authority is experiencing issues with companies who are advertising on social media that offer grave cleaning services. Whilst the companies do provide ‘a service’ the practices that they are using are questionable at best and are causing damage at worse. The member authority would like to know if there are any other councils experiencing the same issue, and if so, what has been put in place to resolve the situation.

CEM0179 - Website specifically for Bereavement Services - 140524

1.Was there any resistance from the councils Comms Teams?

2.Did your authority use your own Comms / Web Team to design or an external company, if external who did they use.

3.What was included on the website i.e.

• Generic information relating to the service and the Cemetery sites i.e. visitor info

• Fees and charges for all services provided •Information relating to Memorial sales.

• Links to burial records •Links to Books of remembrance records

• Any other information

4.Has it been useful for the service i.e. is it well visited / number of hits / any feedback from the Public / Funeral Directors.

5.Has the website increased revenue from memorial sales

6.Cost to design / implement / maintain

CEM0176a - Cemetery Operative Training Scheme (COTS) - 050424              

A Scottish member authority with responsibility for burial services and training of employees to deliver the service is experiencing real difficulties in finding providers of COTS (Cemetery Operative Training Scheme), in particular for novices.  They made contact with 2, Cemetery Training Services and ICCM, but they have very long waiting lists.

The member authority would be very grateful if other authorities could provide any information on Providers that the council uses to deliver this training, with the hope of getting much needed training a bit quicker.

 

CEM0177 - Pre-purchase of burial lairs and uptake of woodland/green burials – 170424

This local authority would like to know if your council allows the pre-purchase of burial lairs as part of a policy decision. They would also like to know about the availability of woodland and green burials, and the uptake in relation to the plots sold, and the burials carried out.

 

CEM0176 - Public Health funerals - 150424     

A member authority is seeking information regarding public health funerals.  Specifically, they would like to know the following:-

1. Does you authority recover other non-funeral related costs e.g. admin costs from the estate of the deceased?
2. Does your authority recover costs from personal possessions? If so, could you share your processes/procedures to enter properties, follow court process, lift goods, and then liquidate assets.
3. Do you use a genealogy company(s) to assist with investigations?

 

CEM0175 - Un-coffined/shrouded burials for our Muslim residents – 200324

A member authority has been asked to provide un-coffined/shrouded burials for our Muslim residents.  The member authority is seeking advice and recommendations for implementing this method of burial. Specifically, they would like to know.

• What method is used for lowering the deceased into the grave?  Is any specialist equipment used for this?
• How is this managed on site – by the Funeral Director or the burial authority/contactor?
• Are members of the family/funeral party allowed into the grave to position the deceased? If so, how many and what, if any, safety measures are in place?
• How was this risk assessed?  Internally or by an outside specialist organisation?
• Does the burial authority have insurance that covers people that are not employees, or contractors, entering graves?  If not, are individuals asked to sign a statutory declaration?

 

CEM0174 - Dog Walkers / Dog Fouling in Cemeteries – 050324

A member authority is seeking information regarding dog walkers/ dog fouling in cemeteries.  Specifically, they would like to know the following:-

1. Does you council have an issue with dog walkers / dog fouling in your cemeteries.
2. Do your current management rules and regulations permit dogs in cemeteries. If not, how do you enforce this?

 

CEM0173 - Burial strategy information - 270224        

A member authority is currently revising its burial strategy and would like to ask other authorities:-

1. Do you allow heavily adorned graves in cemeteries (ornaments, photos, stone chippings, fencing etc)
2. If not, is this enforced? Any comments and information on enforcement would be appreciated.
3. Do you reclaim unused lairs?
4. If so, would you mind sharing your process?
5. Do you have casket only lair sections within your cemeteries?
6. If so, what size are they and how are they charged in comparison to a full lair?

 

CEM0172 - Maintenance of headstone borders in cemeteries -190224       

This member authority is keen to hear from other authorities with regards to the maintenance of headstone borders in cemeteries. They would be interested to find out how other local authorities maintain headstone borders within their cemeteries i.e.

1. Do you maintain a bare soil area through the application of herbicide around headstones?
2. Do you have grass right up to the headstones which is regularly mown or strimmed? If so how do you this.
3. Do you maintain headstone borders at all? If not what do you do?
4. Do you have any other possible maintenance solutions for headstone borders which you would be happy to share?

 

CEM0171 - Business / IT system used to manage bereavement services - 220124

A member authority is currently reviewing its business / IT system used to manage bereavement services (cemeteries and crematoria). This includes booking of funerals, memorial records, grave plots etc.

The member authority is specifically interested to know which systems other councils currently use and would be grateful if they could respond by answering the following questions:

1.         Which system (please state the name) do you currently use to manage your cemeteries/ crematorium?

2.         Overall how satisfied are you with the performance of the system you currently use?

a - Very Satisfied

b - Satisfied

c – Dissatisfied

d - Very Dissatisfied

3.         If you have any comments you wish to add please do so here

 

CEM0170 - Memorials erected without permission - 150124

A member authority has a situation in one of their cemeteries whereby a large memorial has been erected without permission. From the outset the family were told that it was outside of the regulations for that particular cemetery and that it would not be permitted but they went ahead and installed it regardless. The member authority believe that the family installed it, as they are not forthcoming with the name of the mason who did. There have been attempts to engage with the family with regards to a compromise and a way of moving forward, but they are not compliant with talking to the council to bring about a satisfactory conclusion. The member authority has consulted their legal team who have also tried to liaise with the family but to no avail. Various stonemasons/building companies have been contacted to ask if they will remove the memorial (at the councils expense) but we cannot get anyone to do it. The member authority would like to hear from any other authorities that have had any similar situations at their cemeteries, and would you be able to share how they moved forward with reaching a satisfactory solution.