Memorial Management Policy

WESTCOTT CHURCHYARD AND BURIAL GROUND

MEMORIAL MANAGEMENT POLICY

Note: This policy is to be read alongside the Westcott Parish Council Burial and Memorial Guidance Policy.

Historically there have been a number of accidents in cemeteries around the UK, some of which have resulted in fatalities, due to memorials being unsafe. Whilst the memorials are the responsibility of the registered grave owner Westcott Parish Council has a responsibility for ensuring that its site is safe for both staff to work in and for the public to visit.

This Memorial Management Policy sets out the actions the Council will take in order to ensure its sites remains safe. The order of works to be carried out will be determined by a site-based risk assessment with higher priority areas being undertaken first.

Site Inspections       

Site inspections will be carried out on a regular basis, ideally monthly, in order to identify any hazards that may be present on the cemetery site.  All hazards will be recorded on the Hazard Report Form (Appendix A) and assessed for action.  Those carrying out tests for memorial stability must have regard for their own health and safety in so doing. It is recommended that site inspections are carried out by a minimum of two persons.

The following property will be inspected for hazards and defects:

Gates; gateways; paths; gravestones, memorials and kerbstones; trees; churchyard and burial grounds; fencing; newly dug graves.

The aim of the inspection is to record any findings, identify required actions and to show that regular maintenance checks have been carried out.

Memorial Fixing

All memorials over 24.5” (625mm) in height must be fixed to, and fully compliant, with the current British Standard (BS8415). This also extends to ANY memorial over 24.5” (625mm) that is being re-fixed following an interment or removal for any other reason.

The key requirements are that memorials must be fixed to an approved and suitable foundation and must be further secured using an approved locking or anchoring system.

Full details of the sizes permitted for memorials is contained within the cemetery regulations document. Further details on the materials and methods used for fixing and re-fixing of memorials can be found at www.bramm-uk.org

Note that any refixing or repair works to memorials must be completed by a BRAMM (or other equivalent scheme) registered memorial mason. Temporary works to make memorials safe and remove the risk of danger will be undertaken by trained Council staff.

Memorial Inspections

All memorials over 24” in height will be inspected by trained staff at least once during a rolling 5 year period to assess their safety. This will be done through both a visual assessment and a basic hand test to determine if there is movement in the memorial and to what extent.

The individual undertaking the assessment will make the decision on the memorial’s overall safety based on a dynamic risk assessment for which they have been trained.

Once inspected each memorial will fall into one of three categories, detailed as follows:

Category 1 – Memorial is unsafe and poses a risk and will require immediate attention to make safe and/or protect from the public.

Category 2 – Memorial is safe but there are minor concerns and it should be reassessed in 12 months’ time to ensure it has not deteriorated further.

Category 3 – Memorial is safe and should be re-inspected in 5 years as part of the next round of inspections or as part of any other check that may occur, for example when checking memorials around a planned burial ahead of excavation of the grave.

Staff undertaking the inspections will record the details of every memorial and an assessment of its safety using the categories above. These details will be recorded onto the Churchyard and Burial Ground Management Register. The details will include:

• Date of inspection
• Name of inspector
• Grave identification (section and number)
• Category of memorial (1, 2 or 3)
• Details of any actions taken

Actions Post Inspection

Should a memorial be identified as a Category 1 and fail the inspection staff will need to take immediate action to make that memorial temporarily safe or cordon it off until permanent repairs can be made by the grave owner. These actions will be based on a number of factors and the best solution will be administered by the memorial inspection team based on their assessment of the memorial and the surrounding area. These actions may include:

• Laying the memorial flat – In most cases this will invariably be where a memorial can be laid down on or within an existing kerb set so as not to cause a new trip hazard. A warning sign will be placed near to the memorial.
• Staked and Banded – The memorial will be fastened tight to a wooden post which will act as a temporary support. The banding will also hold a warning notice. The stake and band will be re-inspected every 12 months to ensure neither have deteriorated.
• Monolith Conversion – This involves digging out a depth roughly one third of the overall height of the memorial from the last joint in order that it can be sunk into the ground and made safe. The memorial will have a suitable material wrapped around the part under the ground and a memorial warning notice will be added to the grave. Due to foundations it may be necessary for the memorial to be moved slightly forward into the grave space to avoid existing foundations.
• Cordoned Off – In some cases it may be necessary to cordon off a particular memorial or an area containing a number of memorials due to their safety. Warning signs will be attached to any cordon placed around a memorial or group of memorials.
• Removal – In extreme cases it may be necessary to remove a memorial from the grave and place into storage if none of the above options are suitable.

All of the above are regarded as ‘Temporary Fixes’ and should not be seen as a permanent solution to deal with an unsafe memorial and are intended to reduce or remove the risk of a memorial causing harm or damage to someone.

Prior to taking any of the actions above the memorial will be photographed and details recorded of any existing damage or issues.

Informing Grave Owners

Westcott Parish Council will endeavour to contact the grave owner where any action has been taken due to a memorial failing a safety inspection. Correspondence will only be sent providing that the grave owner is not recorded as being in the grave or if it is apparent that the registered address no longer exists. For any memorials over 50 years of age no correspondence will be sent but a notice will be left on the grave space for a period of not less than 12 months.

Any memorial that fails an inspection that has been installed within the previous 6 years we will contact the memorial mason directly to request repairs be made to ensure the memorial is fully compliant with BS8415.

Grave Owners Responsibilities

Any memorial purchased and erected on a grave space is owned by the registered grave owner and it is that person or persons who are ultimately responsible for its upkeep and maintenance.

The registered grave owner has a responsibility to ensure the memorial is made safe through being properly re-fixed to the current BS8415 standard and works must be undertaken by a qualified and BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) registered Memorial Mason. Do it yourself repairs by families will not be permitted.

All costs associated with organising a memorial to be repaired, including the reversal of any works undertaken by Council staff, remain the responsibility of the grave owner.

Should grave owners fail to take any action within a three month period then Westcott Parish Council will look to apply a semi-permanent solution to the memorial, this will involve either laying the memorial flat or sinking the memorial into the ground (monolith conversion).

 

Appendix A

WESTCOTT CHURCHYARD AND BURIAL GROUND – HAZARD REPORT FORM

Visual check:

Paths
Cemetery Grounds
Trees
Fencing
Walls
Dog Fouling
Gates
Bin
Seating
Shed   Memorials *   Newly dug graves

 

ANY COMMENTS / ACTION NEEDED:

(NOTE: if a memorial is deemed to be dangerous, please complete Appendix B. Note: there is a 5-year rolling inspection programme for memorials.)

 

Inspecting Personnel: _________________________________________________________

 

Signed: _____________________________________________ Date: ___________________

(Form to be returned to Clerk for action/filing)

 

 

 

Appendix B

WESTCOTT PARISH COUNCIL

MEMORIAL INSPECTION RECORD

Inspection Date

Inspected By

Grave Number

Category *

Memorial Height

Notes/Action Taken

1

2

3

Up to 24″ (625mm)

24″ to 60″ (625mm – 1.5m)

Over 6′ (1.5m)

ADDITIONAL INFO

*1 = unsafe     2 = reassess in 12 months   3 = safe

 

Reviewed September 2026