The Heath and Reach Cemetery

1. The Cemetery will be open to the public throughout the year, but the Parish Council reserves the right to exclude the public if this should be necessary on any particular occasion. In this case, where possible, notice of closure would be displayed within the Cemetery prior to the date.
2. Children under the age of 12 years are not permitted in the Cemetery unless in the care of a responsible person. All persons must keep on the paths and must not interfere with gravestones, monuments, plants or flowers.
3. Smoking is strictly prohibited within the Cemetery whilst a funeral is in progress. Dogs must be kept under control at all times and on a lead.
4. No wheeled vehicles other than mobility scooters, prams or buggies may be brought into the Cemetery. Vehicles bringing in materials or equipment required for the erection of monuments may be parked on the driveway or main road adjacent to the Cemetery.
5. Any person found infringing these rules shall be expelled from the Cemetery and may be liable for any reasonable costs.
6. Fees for all services rendered in connection with the Cemetery are payable to Heath and Reach Parish Council.
7. The registers and records relating to the Cemetery are available through the Parish Clerk for inspection by prior arrangement, subject to payment of such fees as may be prescribed.
8. All litter, compost and recyclable materials must be discarded in the relevant bins provided.
9. The Parish Council will not be responsible for any damage to monuments, gravestones, flower vases or plaques occasioned by storms, wind, lightning, subsidence, vandalism or any other cause. If a headstone is found to be unsafe and dangerous it will be made safe by the Parish Council, the grave owner will then be contacted. The Grave owner will be responsible for any charges to have the memorial fixed or re-laid – see Memorial Safety
10. Monumental masons must remove all surplus earth to the designated area and leave the whole area in a neat and tidy condition. They shall use such means as may be necessary to protect the grass, plants and nearby graves from damage.
11. No curb stones or edging of any type, no solid covering, chippings or gravel of any sort are allowed to any new graves in section E of the Cemetery.
12. All memorials shall be erected in accordance with current BRAMM’s Code of Working Practice.
13. Fencing of any type is NOT permitted on grave spaces.
14. Trees of any kind are NOT permitted on any grave space in any area of the Cemetery.
15. The scattering of ashes is not permitted in the Cemetery.
16. The Parish Council are not to be held responsible for any damage to monuments caused by grounds contractor or any other individual carrying out works in the cemetery.
17. The Council reserves the right to remove edging stones and chippings previously in place on graves in Sections E and F if they stop being tended to and no next of kin or family member can be traced.

18. Where the person to be interred [or in respect of whom the Right is granted] is or was before his or her death, a parishioner of Heath and Reach [at the discretion of the Parish Council].
19. In the case of a still-born child, where the parents [or one of them] were, at the time of death, residents of Heath and Reach.
20. Where a parishioner was forced to leave the Parish for reasons of age or infirmity or other exceptional cases as agreed by the Parish Council.
21. It is not permissible to reserve burial plots by purchasing the exclusive right of burial or a burial plot for cremation, thus reserving part of the plot for future interment.
22. The table of charges, fees and conditions fixed to apply from the 14th May 2021 by Heath and Reach Parish Council.
23. In accordance with Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977, in the case of re-opening of an already purchased plot and where the owner is not the person to be interred, all necessary paperwork must be in place prior to the interment date. This is also the case when applying for a monument, all paperwork must be in place prior to the erection of the Monument.

General

All Fees and payments are set out under ‘Table of Charges’ tab below.

Cemetery Charges

24. When an exclusive right of burial is acquired, the full name and address of the purchaser must be supplied. There is a maximum number of 3 to be named on the deed. Purchasers shall not dispose of their rights without the consent of the Council.
25. The Exclusive Right of Burial in a grave space shall be conveyed by deed of grant to the purchaser, who must be a relative of the deceased or acting on the deceased person’s wishes.
26. Monuments, gravestones and other memorials shall be erected on only those graves where the exclusive right of burial has been purchased and only after a period of 6 months have elapsed since interment. Please read ‘Charges and Conditions’ for more information.
27. A drawing of every monument or gravestone proposed to be erected, showing its dimensions, the method of fixing and a copy of the inscription intended to be placed thereon, must be submitted to the Parish Clerk. No monument or gravestone will be permitted into the Cemetery until it has been approved and the appropriate fee paid. Installation will be permitted only by either a British Register of Accredited Monumental Masons (BRAMM) or National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM) member and after a period of 6 months has elapsed since interment.
28. An Exclusive Right of Burial grant must be submitted at the time of application, if the person applying is not the person named on the grant then enough time must be allowed for all necessary paperwork to be put in place, prior to erection of the monument at the Cemetery, this is in accordance with the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977.
29. Memorial Masons MUST ensure the plot number and section references are clearly engraved on the bottom corner on the back of the stone [except in Section D tablet stones].
30. The Parish Council has the power to remove unauthorised memorials and gravestones.
31. All materials, gravestones and monuments must be conveyed from the Main Road or car park area using hand barrows. If any damage is caused to the grass, shrubs, trees, buildings or monuments or any other property by the bringing in or removal of materials, the erection of work or otherwise, the person causing such damage or injury shall be liable for the expense of making it good.
32. Every gravestone or monument shall be kept clean and in good repair by the owner. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove or lay down any gravestone or monument that the owner neglects to comply with this Regulation or if the monument is found unsafe. Every effort will be made to contact the owner at their last known address to notify them of this decision as well as posting a notice on the grave and on the Parish Council Website.
33. Flowers or shrubs not exceeding 1 foot in height may be planted on any private grave [excluding Section D], subject to the control of the Parish Council, who reserves the right to remove or reduce any such plant if they become unsightly or overgrown or more than 1 foot in height or if the grave has to be re-opened.
34. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove faded flowers, vases, bottles, tins or any other objects which are untidy or objectionable from any grave.
35. In all cases where, in the opinion of the Parish Council, a grave is not properly maintained and kept tidy, the Parish Council may give instructions for the grave to be levelled and turfed, so that Grounds Maintenance staff can keep the grave in good repair. Every effort will be made to contact the owner at their last known address to notify them of this decision as well as posting a notice on the grave and on the Website.
36. All items placed on graves must sit within the personal grave space. Items found to be outside the personal grave space will be moved back into the personal grave space and the owner of the grave will be informed by letter. Where there are a large number of items that cannot all be moved into the personal grave space the owner of the grave will be informed by letter and requested to remove the items. If the grave owner has not done so within a reasonable time frame ( (28 days from notification) then the items outside the personal grave space may be removed by the Parish Council. These will be stored on the site (space permitting) for up to three months and arrangements can be made to collect these items by contacting the Clerk. The Parish Council cannot accept responsibility for the safety of such items and can only store them for up to three months subject to suitable space being available.
37. The Parish Council outlines a set space for monuments and planting on a plot, should these dimensions not be adhered to, the Parish Council reserves the right to reduce the area if necessary. Overall dimensions of a burial plot are 2’ 6” x 7’ and a cremation plot 2’ 6” x 3’; overall dimensions for cremation plots in section D are 12” x 24”

38. Notice of interment must be sent directly to the Parish Clerk at least 3 days prior to Interment. In the case of a second interment in an already purchased plot and where the Exclusive Right of Burial grant is not in the name of the person to be interred, sufficient time must be allowed for this process to take place and ensure all necessary paperwork has been sought and approved prior to the interment date.
39. The Certificate of Cremation must be provided prior to the interment date.
40. Payment of fees and charges are made via bank credit or by cheque to be received by the Parish Clerk prior to the Interment date.
41. The Parish Clerk will allocate a grave space within the currently used section of the Cemetery; any variation on this shall be subject to the approval of the Parish Council.
42. The depth of Interment shall be controlled by the Parish Council. No grave shall be deepened after the first Interment. When more than one Interment takes place in a grave there shall be a layer of earth not less than six inches between each coffin. No parts of any coffin shall be less than four feet below the level of the ground adjoining the grave.
43. The Parish Council reserves the right to change a burial plot should severe weather conditions mean that a plot is flooded, rendering grave digging and subsequent Interment impossible.
44. The Funeral Director or person making the arrangements for the burial must bear responsibility for ensuring adequate insurance cover. A minimum of £5m public liability insurance is required.
45. The Registrars or Coroners’ certificate must be produced prior to the interment date.
46. The Parish Council reserves the right to level ground after Interment should there be subsequent subsidence of soil on the grave. [except in the case of a stillborn child in accordance with Local Authorities Cemeteries Act 1977]
47. All interments in section D MUST be marked with a wooden cross.
48. All funeral Directors and Grave Diggers must follow the Parish Council guidelines for interment procedures as described further on this page.