Policies and Procedures

June 2022

Reviewed May 2023

Introduction

1.   Responsibility and Management
2.   Cemetery Rules
3.   Location, Layout and Designations of Cemetery
4.   Interments – Fees, Payments and Rules
5.   Exclusive Rights of Burial in Reserved Spaces
6.   Interment and Burial Arrangements
7.   Monuments, Headstone and Inscriptions
8.   Appendix 1 - Schedule of Fees
9.   Appendix 2 - Notice of Interment
10. Appendix 3 - Designated Waste Soil, Turf & Debris Area
11. Appendix 4 - Memorial Application Form

Introduction

This policy sets out the practices, procedures, and fees for Corringham Cemetery. The document will be made available to members of the public, both individually when required, and collectively on the Parish Council website: https://corringham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/. 

The purpose of this document is to:

i.   provide clear and unambiguous information to all users and visitors to the cemetery,
ii.   set out appropriate rules and regulations for the effective implementation of health and safety requirements,
iii.   ensure a safe and aesthetically pleasing appearance of the cemetery at all times, to all users,
iv.   provide for the efficient use of burial space for the future.

All aspects of this policy shall apply equally to all persons having appropriate business in the cemetery i.e.

•   Members and Staff of Corringham Parish Council
•   Visitors
•   Relatives
•   Bereaved Persons
•   Clergy
•   Funeral Directors and Staff
•   Monumental Masons and Staff
•   All contractors

This information has been prepared in accordance with relevant legislation and recommended codes of conduct as prescribed and practiced by the National Professional Bodies, engaged in the management of cemeteries. The policy will be reviewed and updated periodically in accordance with such legislative changes as may be appropriate from time to time.

It is recommended that all persons wishing to be interred or have their relatives interred in Corringham Cemetery read this policy in full to alleviate any future concerns.

1.   Responsibility and Management  

Corringham Cemetery is owned and managed by Corringham Parish Council on behalf of the residents of Corringham Parish. 

In managing the Cemetery, Corringham Parish Council will: 

•   Provide a sensitive and respectful service to the bereaved, 
•   Ensure that sympathetic, supportive, and confidential advice on funeral arrangements is given to the recently bereaved,
•   Maintain the cemetery to a high standard within the budget of Corringham Parish Council, 
•   Ensure the proper respect of Corringham Cemetery with fair rules and fees which are explained to the bereaved and cemetery visitors,
•   Undertake fair and sensitive enforcement where rules are not followed.

As the burial authority, the Parish Council as owner of the site, has a duty under Health and Safety Regulations to do all that is reasonably practical to protect the health and safety of persons who enter the site.

To identify potential hazards and risks, a periodic informal site inspection will be conducted by, or on behalf of, the Parish Council and any required action taken.

A copy of the statutory registers and records in relation to burials conducted at the cemetery shall be kept by the Parish Council. The registers and records are open for inspection, by prior appointment with the Burial Clerk to the Council. An administrative fee will apply (see appendix 1). These fees will be reviewed periodically.

2.   Cemetery Rules

2.1   The cemetery will be open for pedestrian access at all times, although the Parish Council reserves the right to make such closures as may be necessary for repairs, emergencies or in the interests of public safety.

2.2   The dignity and calm of the cemetery must be respected at all times and, to preserve the respectfulness of the site no dogs are allowed.

2.3   The Parish Council will regularly maintain the cemetery grounds. A black bin is provided for the disposal of wreaths and other grave items. Dog waste is not to be placed in this bin. 

2.4   No burial shall take place, no cremated remains scattered and no memorial shall be placed, or inscription added without the permission of the Burial Clerk as appointed by Corringham parish Council.

2.5   All floral tributes must be placed on the headstone base and not on surrounding grassed areas except in the case of new interments. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove and dispose of any floral tributes after 4 weeks from being placed on the grave in order to accommodate appropriate ground maintenance. Christmas tributes will be removed after the end of the following January. 

2.6   No trees, shrubs or flowers shall be planted on the grave or elsewhere in the cemetery, except that authorised and agreed with the Parish Council (see 7.4). The Parish Council reserves the right to prune or remove any planted material already existing if, in the opinion of the Parish Council, it has become unsightly, overgrown, or is deemed to have an adverse impact upon any grave space or interferes with the general maintenance.

3.   Location, Layout and Designations of Cemetery

The cemetery is located behind St. Laurence’s Church, Corringham. It is divided into 3 areas: 

•   The old section to the North of the central walkway which is consecrated
•   The new section to the South of the central walkway which is consecrated
•   An un-consecrated area to the Western edge of the Cemetery

There are currently two Parish Council owned benches inside the cemetery. 

The Parish Council is unable to provide a water supply in the cemetery however there is a water supply available at the church entrance.

4.   Interments – Fees, Payments and Exclusive Rights of Burial

4.1   Fees - Fees are set out in the table at appendix 1. The Burial clerk will notify the Undertaker of the appropriate fee payable. Fees to be paid to Corringham Parish Council via BACS or cheque prior to the burial taking place.

4.2   Residents of Corringham Parish, have a right to be buried in the Cemetery subject to payment of the appropriate fee. For the avoidance of doubt Residents are classed as persons born in the Parish of Corringham, a resident of the Parish at the time of death, a person who has resided in the Parish for a period of 10+ years at some point in their life or, in the case of a stillborn child, where the parents are residents of the Parish.

4.3   Non-residents may also be buried in Corringham Cemetery subject to payment of the appropriate fee and provided, in the opinion of the Burial Clerk, there is space available to accommodate them. 

4.4   The Burial Clerk will determine which grave should be allocated in liaison with a designated member of the Parish Council, but the wishes of the applicant(s) shall be met as far as is practicable.

4.5   Double Burial -Two full interments may take place in one grave space providing when the grave is opened no persons shall disturb remains already buried, and the coffin already interned be separated by no less than 15cm (6 inches) of earth from the new burial.

4.6   Exclusive Right of Burial - Corringham Parish Council may at any time grant the Exclusive Right to bury remains in a grave, within 50 years of the date of the deed, subject to the appropriate fee. This time can be extended on application to the Burial Clerk. The purchase of Exclusive Burial Rights does not confer title to the land and therefore the grave or cremation plot remains the property of the Parish Council. 

4.7   Records of Exclusive Rights to Burial will be maintained by the Parish Council in a designated book and the owner of the Exclusive Rights shall be given a copy of the deed.

4.8   The Grant for the Exclusive Right of Burial shall be considered as the personal estate of the grantee and as such may be assigned in their lifetime or bequeathed by Will. Every such assignment or Probate of Will etc. should be produced to the Council, together with the appropriate fee, for the transfer to be duly registered. 

4.9   If the owner of the Exclusive Rights dies, it is assumed that they gave permission to have themselves interred in the grave. After this, the Rights become part of their estate and may be left in a will or assigned by their executors to someone else. If the Rights are not specifically mentioned in the will, they will form part of the 'residue' of the will, usually willed as 'and all my other worldly goods' at the end of the will. 

4.10   Exclusive Rights may be transferred to another person on application to the Burial Clerk and on payment of the appropriate fee. The transfer will be treated as if it is a new purchase but will not alter the expiry date of the deed unless requested and the appropriate fee paid. All transfers must have taken place before interment. 

4.11   Exclusive Rights may be surrendered at any time, without refund of the purchase fee, on return of the deed to the Burial Clerk. If the owner of Exclusive Rights fails to notify the Burial Clerk of a change of address and cannot be contacted subsequently, the deed will be deemed to have been surrendered. Before terminating the deed, the Burial Clerk will write to the last known address of the owner of the Exclusive Rights and a notice shall be posted in the Cemetery. If no response is received within four weeks of the date of the letter or notice the Burial Clerk will contact any known relatives who are resident in the Parish to ask them to contact the owner of the Exclusive Rights. If no contact can be made within twelve weeks of the original letter or notice to the owner of the Exclusive Rights the deed will be terminated. If contact is made after this time the deed may be restored, on its original terms, at the discretion of the Burial Clerk.

4.12   By proper application and payment of the appropriate fees, the owner of an Exclusive Right to Burial will be able to: 

•   place and maintain an approved memorial on the grave space to which the Exclusive Right to Burial corresponds. 
•   put an additional inscription on the memorial.

5.   Interment and Burial Arrangements

5.1   No interment shall take place without the express permission of the Parish Council via the Burial Clerk. Requests for interment must be made at least three working days prior to the interment to the Burial Clerk. NB. Access to the cemetery to undertake work can only be gained via the Burial Clerk.

5.2   After notice of interment has been given, any alteration required in the arrangements will be subject to the consent of the Burial Clerk. An additional charge might be imposed if such alteration is likely to involve the Parish Council in any additional expense.

5.3   Interment form – Funeral Directors must complete an interment form containing the following information and submit to the Burial Clerk prior to interment being agreed. 

a.   Full name of the deceased

b.   Name of the parents if the deceased is under 18 years of age

c.   Last permanent residence of the deceased

d.   Deceased’s occupation

e.   Age of the deceased to be interred

f.   Date and place of death

g.   Day, date and time of intended burial

h.   Grave number if known

i.   Details of any Exclusive Rights if known

j.   Manner of the interment (Full burial or ashes)

k.   Name, address and phone number of the next of kin of the deceased who will become the grave rights owner and owner of any grave memorial or vase.

The interment form may be the Undertakers own or the Corringham Cemetery version as of Appendix 2. It can also be downloaded from the Corringham Parish website:
https://corringham.parish.lincolnshire.gov.uk/.

5.4   The registrar’s certificate of disposal (green or white form) or Coroner’s certificate, where applicable, must be sent to the Burial Clerk prior to the interment taking place.

5.5   The hours of interment shall generally be between 9.30am and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday. Interments will not normally take place at weekends or public holidays, although Saturday interments will be permitted in special circumstances. The Parish Council will consider sympathetically any reasonable application for interment outside normal hours, where such application is made on religious grounds.

6.   Graves and Grave Digging

6.1   Graves - Burials must take place in the grave space allocated by the Burial Clerk.

6.2   The size of grave plots will not exceed 2.7 meters (9 ft) by 1.2meters (4 ft) for full burial and 75cm (2 ft 6 inches) by 75cm (2 ft 6 inches) for interment of ashes.

6.3   Proposals to use a coffin exceeding the present standard coffin sizes for graves of 1.8 meters (6 ft 11 inches) long and 75cm (2 ft 6 inches) wide should be referred to the Burial Clerk for individual advice.

6.4   Earthen graves should be no less than 2.1 meters (6 ft 9inches) in depth in order to accommodate a double burial. 

6.5   Earthen graves will be of traditional lawn style. No new kerbed graves will be permitted.

6.6   Interment of cremated remains will only be permitted in accordance with the following:-

i.   In a designated area of the Cemetery as directed by The Parish Council

ii.   In an existing family grave where full internments have been completed

6.7   Gravedigging - The Burial clerk will mark the grave prior to it being dug. It will be marked at the head end. Photographs of the marker position will be sent to the Undertaker as confirmation of the allocated grave

6.8    No vehicles or machinery are allowed in the cemetery with the exception of grass mowing equipment and relevant grave digging machinery. Corringham Parish Council do not employ grave diggers and it is the responsibility of the funeral director conducting the burial to employ a grave digger. The undertaker must hold the appropriate public liability insurance which should be supplied to the Burial Clerk on a yearly basis. All graves must be excavated and prepared in line with safe working practices and the grave digger must install appropriate shoring to support the ground and prevent collapse. 

6.9   The cemetery and its surroundings are to be left neat and tidy and all surplus soil, debris and turf to be removed to the designated area (Appendix 3).

6.10   On back filling the grave it is required that the soil be compacted every six inches in depth by treading. This is to prevent excessive re-instatements.

6.11    Corringham Parish Cemetery is classed as a ‘lawn type’ cemetery and, for the ease of maintenance, no grave mounds are allowed. All graves must be levelled after interment after a suitable period has elapsed. This is the responsibility of the undertakers carrying out the interment. 

6.12   If, after the excavation of a grave, it is to be left unattended for any period of time a temporary barrier must be erected around the grave or it be securely covered to prevent accidental falls.

7.   Monuments, Headstones, Vases, Tablets and Inscriptions

7.1   Memorials may only be placed on graves where Exclusive Right of burial has been purchased. A period of 12 months must have elapsed between the date of interment and the date of erection of a memorial. This is due to the nature of the soils within the cemetery and is to prevent movement of the memorial and subsequent cost and distress to the owner.

7.2   Permission to erect a memorial or headstone in Corringham Cemetery or to add an additional inscription shall be sought from Corringham Parish Council. A permit to erect and maintain a memorial should be purchased from the Council and a Memorial Application form completed and returned to the Burial Clerk (Appendix 4). The permit will be granted for a period of 25 years. This is to ensure the ownership is updated and contact details maintained. 

7.3   Dimensions and Specifications - All memorials, vases, tablets, plaques, inscriptions, and plantings are to have Parish Council approval and must be within the dimensions below. Any item sited without prior approval may be re-sited and a charge will be made.

•   Headstones should not exceed 92cm (3 ft) in height above ground level, 76cm (2 ft 6 inches) in width and 10cm (4 inches) in thickness. Any deviation from this is at the discretion of Corringham Parish Council.
•   Cremation tile should not exceed 30cm (12 inches) by 30cm (12 inches) in size
•   A memorial vase not exceeding 30cm (12 inches) by 30cm (12 inches) in any direction

Anything other than the above, will be at the Parish Council’s discretion and agreement.

7.4   The planting of memorial flowers is permitted in a border at the head of the grave but must not exceed 30cm (1 ft) in depth from the memorial. Any plantings must be maintained by the grave owner and not allowed to spread. The Parish council reserves the right to remove any plantings that have spread or are out of control. No trees or shrubs may be planted on the grave.

7.5   The responsibility for the condition and safety of any memorial placed on a grave remains with the owner of the memorial or their heirs. The owner has a duty of care to ensure the memorial does not present a safety hazard to other users of the cemetery. If the owner has any concern over the condition of their memorial they should contact the original stonemason or the National Association of Memorial Masons.

7.6   The Council requires that all Masons undertaking erection of memorials in Corringham Cemetery to be entered on either the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons or a member of the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) and carry adequate public liability insurance, a copy of which should be given to Corringham Parish Council on an annual basis. The Mason should provide a written company guarantee which provides a stability and safety guarantee for a period of 10 years or a certificate of compliance for work carried out to BS8415. It is the responsibility of the memorial owner to ensure this is in place.

7.7   When seeking to erect a memorial, the Monumental Mason must complete a memorial application form which includes details of the purchaser (Appendix 4). The named purchaser will be regarded as the owner of the memorial and any relevant change of detail should be notified to the Burial Clerk in writing as soon as possible.

7.8   Following the granting of Erection of a Memorial, the Monumental Mason must give at least 3 working days notice prior to erection. This must be done on application to the Burial Clerk.

7.9   It is the responsibility of the owner to maintain their memorial in a good state of repair. In the event of any memorial becoming dangerous or defective, the Parish Council may, in accordance with the powers and procedures set out in Article 16(2) and Schedule 3 of the Local Authorities Cemetery Order 1977, give notice to the owner requiring them to repair or remove the memorial.

7.10   The owner will be given a reasonable timescale to commission the necessary remedial work, having regard to the level of risk posed by the memorial. If, after the expiration of the notice period given by the Parish Council, the owner has failed to repair or to remove the memorial or if the Council has been unable to trace the owner after it has taken such reasonable steps as it may consider necessary for that purpose, the Council reserves the right to take appropriate action to make the Cemetery safe.

7.11   Corringham Parish Council takes no responsibility for any damage caused to memorials and recommends that owners take out appropriate insurance in respect of all future maintenance of, or damage to, their memorials.
 

Appendix 1

Schedule of Fees

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Appendix 2

Notice of Interment 

Corringham Parish Council & Burial Authority
22 Middle Street
Corringham 
DN21 5QS
Telephone: 01427 839818
Mobile: 07876 731341

clerkcorringhampc@gmail.com

This notice must be delivered together with the certificate for disposal & payment to the Clerk at the above address no later than THREE CLEAR WORKING DAYS before the pre-arranged time for burial.

Appendix 3

Designated Surplus Soil, Turf and Debris Area

Appendix 4

Memorial Application Form

To Be Added