Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Hughes introduced the report and explained that the service was responsible for approximately 20,000 memorials of varying shapes and sizes and the Council had a duty to maintain its burial grounds in good and safe order.

A combination of the absence of records and/or absence of surviving family members willing to undertake the repairs and maintenance on memorials had resulted in approximately 700 memorials within Flintshire’s cemeteries being deemed to be structurally unsafe. Whilst those memorials continued to be supported by wooden stakes, a permanent solution had yet to be implemented. In addition to unsafe memorials, kerb sets within the council’s older cemeteries were also falling into disrepair, resulting in potential trip hazards.

The purpose of the report was to seek support and approval for an alternative and permanent method of making the memorials safe, if the memorial was not repaired by the registered grave owner, as well as the making safe of any kerb sets that had become detached from the main structure of the grave.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the proposal to adopt the “digging in” method to stabilise those memorials deemed to be structurally unsafe when the grave owners cannot be traced be supported.  This approach will address the ongoing health and safety risk associated with unsafe memorials that only currently receive a temporary short-term fix; and

(b)       That the proposal to address unsafe kerb sets by repositioning all kerb sections within the structure of the grave – either above or below the surface depending on the presence of a concrete slab foundation be supported.