Use of Reserved Graves Out of Hour's

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The use of reserved graves for an out of hour's burial can potentially cause administrative difficulties and delays.  

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If a reserved grave is to be used and if it belongs to anyone other than the deceased then the owner of the grave will need to produce the original deed and provide written consent by completing and signing section 4b of the Burial Notice (BRV1). If the grave owner is unavailable to do this (as they may be out of town or abroad) then a letter or email giving consent will be required.  

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The on-call cemetery staff will also need to make a site visit to ascertain whether or not the reserved plot is accessible by a mechanical digger. If not it may have to be dug by hand which could potentially impact on whether or not the burial can take place at your preferred time or day.

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In view of the above please ensure you mention the use of any reserved graves during your initial call with our Duty Officer.  

 

Re-opening of Graves Out of Hour's

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Applications for the reopening of graves for a second burial will not be accepted out of normal working hours as adequate checks on grave ownership and previous burials will need to be made.  Such checks can only be carried out by the Council’s Bereavement Services during the week on a working day.

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