Grave diggers are struggling to dig new plots at cemeteries in Cheshire East because of the size of some existing gravestones and items placed around them, a councillor said.
Cllr Joy Bratherton (Lab) said the council was at fault for letting the situation get out of hand and not ensuring people were aware of what they could and could not do.
The Crewe councillor was giving the environment and communities committee an update on the consultation on Cheshire East’s cemeteries strategy review.
“The other piece of information in here [consultation] that I have been banging the drum about for so many years, is when people take out a plot in a cemetery they sign an agreement that they will look after that plot and they will manage that plot in a particular way – and that particular way does not include putting pots around, memorials and the likes all over the gravestone,” said Cllr Bratherton.
“It also includes gravestones of a certain size.
“We have graves, we have plots in all the cemeteries across the borough that are not within those bounds, and that causes problems for our staff because there are numerous occasions when they cannot get the digger to between plots if they need to dig a new plot.
“There are times when they have to remove things and then it hits the fan in the press that they’ve removed things, but the things are not supposed to be there in the first place.”
The councillor said in the borough-wide 2022 consultation, which 421 people had responded to, some residents had said the council was not proactive enough in its “regulatory stance”.
“We have said, as an Orbitas board but also in this working group, that we are prepared to put our heads above the parapet to actually make sure that, from now on, people are more aware of what they can and cannot do,” she said, adding the council had a responsibly to ensure that if people signed a document they abided by it.
I agree, it can be such a challenge getting a wheelchair or scooter to a graveside without potentially knocking over or damaging somebody’s carefully positioned obstacles.
The council is ultimately to blame though as they’re not Strict enough with their policies.
People are not selfish putting obstacles in the way, they are in grieving
The issue is with the authorities they should provide everything that is needed with a once only shop facility at the time so nothing can be added later
Personally speaking a graveyard is a place for the living to remember the dead, not a display of tacky grave mementos, no that is selfish Andy
I understand the issues getting access …..pity so many people are selfish and put obstacles in way