Work is being carried out on headstones across the borough to ensure they are in a good and stable condition.
Local authorities which are responsible for cemeteries and churchyards have a duty of care to make sure gravestones are kept in a safe condition and are not likely to topple over. Officers have discovered that the majority of memorials tested to date in the Haverhill cemetery are unsafe.
All local authorities with these responsibilities will have to carry out safety inspections on gravestones as part of guidelines set out by the Health and Safety Executive.There have been reports of serious accidents to members of the public in cemeteries as a result of heavy headstones, some of which have been fatal.
The Haverhill cemetery is at the start of a programme of inspections across the borough and tape has been put around memorials which do not pass safety inspections. All deed holders who have memorials which do not meet safety standards are being contacted. As the legal owners of the memorial it is their responsibility to arrange for it to be re-fixed and made safe. Notices have been placed on gates, notice boards and around every burial section within the cemetery to let people know in advance that testing will be taking place. Notices were also placed in local newspapers.
Cabinet member responsible for Leisure, Cllr Terry Clements said:
“We fully appreciate that this may be upsetting for bereaved families and we are very sorry for any distress it may cause. We are working to ensure that owners of gravestones are informed in a sensitive manner, whilst ensuring that the cemetery continues to remain a safe place for visitors and our staff.”
Gravestone testing in Bury St Edmunds cemetery will start on 4 January 2006 and notices have been put up to let visitors know.
ENDS
ISSUED BY MARIA STAFF, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757033. maria.staff@stedsbc.gov.uk
