Cemetery Regulations
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 10:52AM
CONDITIONS REGARDING THE ERECTION OF MEMORIALS AND THE
MAINTENANCE OF GRAVES IN MIDDLETON CHENEY CEMETERY
ARROW CLOSE – DECEMBER 2011
The Cemetery is a public open space which means it is available for all to visit. It is a place of remembrance, peace and quiet reflection and the Parish Council will endeavour to ensure that it maintains the Cemetery in the appropriate condition for that purpose.
The following rules and conditions were agreed by Middleton Cheney Parish council and are effective from 5th December 2011 and supersede all previous rules.
1. No memorials to be erected without prior authorisation from the Parish Council and the payment of the appropriate fee.
2. Memorial to be erected only when the EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF BURIAL has been purchased. This is the legal way by which a family acquires ‘ownership’ of a grave or ashes plot. Grants at Middleton Cheney Cemetery are for a predefined period of 75 years.
3. The size of any memorial to be as follows:-
Headstone : No more than 2’2” X 2’0” X 3” Base: No more than 2’6” X 1’3” X 3”
4. Within the areas of the Cemetery in current use there is no choice of position. The Council will allocate the next available plot.
5. Inscriptions on memorials to face east (i.e. school playing field). Name only of deceased to be on the reverse. An emblem or motif may be included with the prior agreement of the Clerk. No photographic images to be incorporated in memorials.
6. A flower vase may be incorporated in the memorial. This must not be made of glass or any other breakable material. No vases or receptacles to be placed on grave space.
7. The placing of one temporary container which, in the opinion of the Clerk or other authorised officer, is of a suitable material, is allowed for a period of up to nine months from the date of interment.
8. Tributes left at the time of interment will be permitted to remain for one calendar month and will be removed carefully by Council staff unless otherwise instructed by the Clerk. After this, all dead or faded tributes, either natural or artificial will be removed carefully by Council staff.
9. No kerbs or edging of any description to be placed on or around the grace space. No planting, unless agreed to by the Clerk, to be placed on the grassed area which shall in all respects be left undisturbed.
10. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove any vases, receptacles or edging which do not conform with the cemetery regulations.
11. All headstones, memorials and vases must be maintained, cared for or kept in a state of tidiness or good repair by the person erecting or placing the same. In default thereof, they may be removed by order of the Clerk or other authorised officer after due notice.
12. The Council reserves the right of passage over all graves for purposes connected with the Cemetery and the right to remove any headstone or vase to enable a burial to be carried out in any adjacent grave space subject to the replacement of the said headstone.
13. Cremation plots and their memorials must conform to the regulations as set out above.
14. Families are encourage to look after graves and memorials and are responsible for insurance to cover any third party liability arising there from. Because the Cemetery is an open public space, the Council cannot be held responsible for any damage or theft from graves, memorials or tributes. These are all uninsured and the Council will not normally undertake any replacement or repair.
15. The Parish Council has the right to take action to maintain neglected graves and memorials that it deems unsafe or unsightly. The Parish Council accepts responsibility for maintaining and insuring the cemetery path, buildings, fences, benches and open areas.
16. Dogs are only permitted to visit if kept on a lead and under control.
17. The scale of fees is reviewed annually with any changes coming into effect from April 1st. Copies of fees and conditions are available from the Parish Council Office.
Mrs. Caroline Stacey
Parish Clerk
Phone 01295 713 500
Email clerk@middletoncheney.org.uk