Regulations
CEMETERY REGULATIONS
Brinkworth Cemetery is owned, maintained and operated by Brinkworth Parish Council in accordance with current legislation.
1. No interment, whether burial or interment of cremated remains, may take place without the express written permission of the Parish Council.
2. No interment, whether burial or interment of cremated remains, may take place without the Clerk to the Council having received the Certificate of Burial form from a registrar, a disposal document for the interment of cremated remains, or an Order for burial from a Coroner, at least 48 hours prior to the burial. If the necessary paperwork is not forthcoming then the Parish Council will not give or will withdraw permission for the burial to take place.
3. Funeral Directors and Memorial Masons are expected to follow legal requirements and Best Practice in force at the time.
4. The fees payable for any interment shall be as agreed by the Parish Council, and shall be reviewed annually. Fees are displayed in the cemetery and on the Brinkworth Parish Council website. The fees do not include the digging of the grave or cremation plot; this is not the responsibility of or undertaken by the Parish Council.
5. A Deed of Grant of Exclusive Rights of Burial will be issued for each interment. Such a deed confers exclusive rights to the grave space for 100 years from the date of the Deed. It remains the responsibility of the person who holds the exclusive right, or their executors, heirs or successors, to inform the Parish Council of any change in the holder and/or his/her address.
6. Unless a specific grave space / cremation plot has been previously reserved in advance (which is no longer permitted) by or on behalf of the deceased, all interments shall be made in the next available space in the current row as defined by the Parish Council.
7. Memorial headstones may be erected, or in the case of cremated remains memorial tablets placed, only with the prior written agreement of the Parish Council. Headstones will not normally be allowed more than 3’ 6” in height, nor tablets exceeding 2’ x 2’. Kerb stones or any other structure on or around the grave are not permitted (except where already in place on earlier plots) Headstones shall comply with and be installed in accordance with the current National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) ‘Code of Working Practice’ to ensure ongoing quality and safety standards. To aid identification, plot numbers are to be inscribed on headstones. Memorials are subject to prior payment of Parish Council fees currently in force.
8. The maintenance of all graves and memorials shall remain the sole responsibility of the holder of the exclusive rights for the specific grave. Graves must be kept tidy and vegetation / flowers / plants must not be allowed to overgrow the individual grave space.
9. A Health and Safety inspection of the Cemetery is required and will be carried out annually by the Parish Council, including a topple test of all memorials / headstones. Where an issue of any sort is identified with a particular grave, an attempt will be made within two weeks of the inspection to identify the holder of exclusive rights for that grave before any remedial action is taken. Where the holder cannot reasonably be traced within this timeframe, or maintenance has clearly not been carried out for a while, the Parish Council shall have the right to take whatever steps it deems necessary in the interests of safety, appearance and wellbeing of the grave / memorial / headstone.
10. No waste material or litter is to be left loose in the Cemetery.
11. Maintenance of the cemetery grass, trees, roadways and hedges shall be the responsibility of the Parish Council.
12. The Cemetery gate is to remain closed at all times except for entry and exit from the grounds.
13. Complaints and / or reports of damage should be made to the Clerk to the Parish Council (see details below).
Clerk:
Heather Beresford
Ash Tree House
Barnes Green
Brinkworth
SN155AQ