Woodgreen Parish Council

Woodgreen Parish Council

The Parish owns and controls the cemetery which is located at the east end of the high street in Forestry Commission run land. The rules pertaining to burial and internment of remains are listed below.

Cemetery Rules, January 2016

Right of Burial

There shall be a right of burial in the parish cemetery for:

• Any person who may die within the parish.
• Any resident ( i.e. on the electoral role) or child of resident wherever they may die.
• Any spouse/partner, child or parent of anyone already buried in the cemetery.
• Any person not covered by the above, provided that it can be established to the satisfaction of the parish council that such person has resided within the parish for a period totalling in excess of 5 years in the previous 10 years.

(For the purpose of these rules child is defined as offspring under the age of 18 years)

Reservation of Plots

• The surviving spouse/partner/parent may at the time of the first burial reserve an exclusive right of burial in a grave space for 75 years upon payment of the appropriate fee (see appendix).
• The south of the cemetery is set aside for the internment of cremated remains and memorial plaques.
• The internment of cremated remains in the grave space of a member of the family will be at the discretion of the parish council.
• If not taken up, rights to an unbroken plot reserved under previous rules shall lapse after 60 years.

The parish council will always seek to accommodate personal preferences but great importance has to be placed upon the orderly use and management of the limited land available and any decisions made by the parish council must be final.

Memorials

• No trees or shrubs may be planted
• Headstones (maximum height 1.2 metres) should have a protective kerb, 6-9cms wide, at ground level so as not to impede mechanical maintenance work.
• Vases are to be set into the grave.
• In the cremation area the 45cm x 30cm plot must be covered by a 0.5cm thick stone cover, upon which, any memorial plaque should be mounted. No stonework or plaque should be above ground level.
• No other memorial stone will be permitted in the cremation area and flowers may be placed only on the grave and border along the south side of the area except at the time of interment.
• To ensure integrity of the cemetery and the woodland setting any grasses sown should be as recommended by the Forestry Commission, as follows: 40% Fescue rubra ssp rubra; 20% Agrostis tenuis; 25% Poa Parentis; 15% Cyonosuras cristata. This is available from: British Seed Houses Ltd. Portview Road, Avonmouth, Bristol BS11 9JH.
• Preferred stone will be matt and light finish
• No photographs will be allowed on headstones
• Details for proposed monuments, headstones and plaques, including inscriptions, must be submitted to the Parish Council for approval 1 month before installation.
• The Parish Council has a preferred model for the footing of materials which should normally be followed and raised kerbs around the grave will not be allowed.

4. CEMETERY MAINTENANCE.

Whilst next of kin are responsible for the maintenance of graves, the parish council has a responsibility for the cemetery as a whole.

At all times next of kin are requested to maintain all floral tributes in good order. The parish council may remove any it feels are unsuitable.

Because of collection difficulties, next of kin are requested to take all rubbish away from the cemetery.

The parish council reserves the right, in the interests of tidiness and safety, to take any action required to maintain safety and an acceptable appearance, or to allow easier maintenance of the cemetery to be undertaken; and may flatten graves which are overgrown and unattended. However,the parish council will attempt to contact next of kin first. We have a policy of removing edging when necessary for safety, aesthetics and ease of mowing.

Procedures

The parish council maintains all records required by law. Records may be inspected, by appointment, and certified extracts made upon the payment of the stated fee.

Grave sites are identified by a grid reference system.

Notice, must be given to the parish clerk at least 3 working days before burial. The parish clerk will then agree a burial plot with the next of kin, executors or undertakers, and will issue the appropriate paperwork.

Burials are allowed between 10.00 and 16.00 on weekdays only. All internments should be carried out by an undertaker.

It is the undertaker's responsibility to provide the services of a sexton. It should be noted that it is an offence, against the New Forest Byelaws to deposit waste gravel or any other materials on the forest, and they must be taken away and disposed of elsewhere.

Appendix

Cemetery charges for Woodgreen Cemetery

January 2016

Charges, for each interment are made up of 3 parts, A+B+C, as follows: