Ash Parish Council

Cemetery Rules and Regulations

Ash Parish Council welcomes all visitors to the Cemetery and you are asked to respect the peace and dignity of the facility. Children should be kept under supervision and dogs must be kept on a lead, owners must clear up any dog fouling and place in the dog litter bins where provided.

Applications for Interment

All applications are to be submitted to Ash Parish Council a minimum of 72 hours prior to the Interment with the exception of bricked and vaulted graves, subject to availability, applications must be submitted a minimum of 14 days prior to the internment. All applications received MUST be signed by the registered owner of the exclusive right of burial. Should the owner be deceased, the applicant must contact the Clerk of the Council prior to the internment taking place in order to effect a transfer of ownership.

Purchase of Exclusive Right Of Burial

'Right of Burial' may be purchased at the time of the interment on payment of the appropriate fee. ‘Right’ is granted for a term of 50 years. The Exclusive Right entitles the deed-holder to determine who is buried in the grave and whether a memorial can be installed (subject to the payment of the relevant fee and permission from the Parish Council being granted). All requests for transfers of Exclusive Right must be in writing to Ash Parish Council together with payment of the relevant administration fee. You may be required to demonstrate your right to have the grant transferred into your name.

For bricked and vaulted graves it is necessary for the Exclusive Rights to four adjacent grave spaces to be purchased.

Special regulations and charges relate to the use of coffins/caskets where the size in excess of 78 inches (1.98 metres) in length and 28 inches (0.71 metres) in width.

Please Note: The owner of the Exclusive Rights is responsible for advising the Parish Council of any change of address. Failure to notify us of a new address may result in any remedial action required in respect of the grave plot, or any memorial installed on the plot, having to be taken without reference to the owner of the Exclusive Right.

Common Graves

Should the Exclusive Right not be purchased at the time of interment Ash Parish Council reserves the right to determine the initial depth of the grave is 6’6” (1.98 metres) . Any subsequent interment in that grave space will be at 4' 6” (1.37 metres).

Grave Depths

The Local Authority Cemeteries Order Act 1977 states that 3ft of soil has to be between the top of the last coffin interred and the ground level (for an average coffin being 15 inches (38.1 centimetres) in height). For double depth graves 6 inches (15.24 centimetres) of soil is to be left in between each coffin.

New grave opening depth: 6ft 6 inches (1.98 metres)
Second internment depth: 4ft 6 inches (1.37 metres)
Child's grave depth: 4ft 6 inches (1.37 metres)

Memorials

Headstones shall not exceed 4ft (1.22 metres)
Kerb Sets must not exceed 7ft (2.13 metres) x 3 ft (0.91 metres)
Under Slabs must not exceed 7ft (2.13 metres) x 3ft (0.91 metres)

Any “Exclusive Right” deed-holder who wishes to erect a monument in the cemetery must first obtain permission in writing from Ash Parish Council. The application must show a drawing or illustration of the design, dimensions, full constructional details (for checking against the NAMM Code of Practice) materials to be used and any inscription required. Where monuments or kerb sets are erected that are not in compliance with these directives, the Council reserve the right to remove such items and all costs incurred will be charged to the "Exclusive Right" deed holder. Subsequent additions of kerb sets or additional memorial items must be applied for as above.

Monumental Mason's names, signs or marks may be inscribed on any memorial item provided their appearance is seemly and unobtrusive having regard to the memorial as a whole. Every memorial erected or placed in the cemetery shall bear the grave space number on the back face or base.

Memorials shall be constructed of granite, marble, slate or other hard natural stone of monumental quality.

All memorials MUST be erected in accordance with BS8415 (or any such new regulation that is introduced herein after) and the National Association of Monumental Masons (NAMM) Code of Practice. Ash Parish Council reserves the right to refuse permission for the installation of any memorial where the fixing method does not comply with current guidelines.

All memorials remain the property and responsibility of the "Exclusive Right" owner. Ash Parish Council shall not be held responsible for any damage or breakage which may occur to any memorial through any cause whatsoever ie vandalism, storm damage etc. Owners should consider insurance for their memorials. The memorial owner has a responsibility to maintain their memorial.

For details of the 2010 Memorial testing please click Memorial Testing

Flowers and Plants

Only permitted flower receptacles are allowed in the Cemetery. Under no circumstances should glass containers be used.

The Council reserves the right to remove, and dispose of, deteriorated floral tributes any any other unauthorised articles such as fences, ornaments etc that are not an integral part of the memorial.

THE PLANTING OF BUSHES, TREES AND SHRUBS IS NOT PERMITTED WITHIN THE LAWN SECTION (Sections L and M)

Garden of Remembrance

Permitted memorials will have a maximum size of 18 inches x 18 inches (45.7 centimetres) and must be flat tablets. Permitted flower receptacles only are allowed and indiscriminate planting in the ground is not permitted. Unauthorised ornaments and articles as mentioned above will not be permitted.

Cremated Remains

Caskets of ashes may be interred within the Gardens of Remembrance, in a conventional grave in the cemetery where the ‘Exclusive Right’ has been purchased, or in Columbaria Vaults. There is no facility for ‘scattering’ ashes.

Cremated remains may only be interred in grave spaces where "Exclusive Rights" exist on receipt of the written permission of the registered owner of the grave.

"Exclusive Rights" to deposit ashes in Columbaria Vaults are available for 30 year terms, which are renewable. Where Rights are not renewed at the end of the term, and after attempts to trace family owners, ashes will be interred in an area designated within the Garden of Remembrance for such interments.

Wall Memorial Plaques

Wall memorial plaques may be purchased on a 10 year term which is renewable. Where the right is not renewed and after attempts to contact the owner, the plaque will be removed.

Memorial Trees

Memorial Trees and accompanying plaques may be purchased from Ash Parish Council for planting in an Avenue of Remembrance within the cemetery.

Fees

Fees for all cemetery services will be determined by the Council annually to take effect from 1st April each year.

In determining whether fees chargeable are at Parishioner or Non-Parishioner rate the following will apply:-

The last permanent address of the deceased will be used. If a long-term resident of Ash has been accommodated in a residential care/nursing home outside the Parish within the year immediately prior to the date of death, the rate charged will be that of a parishioner.

GENERAL

Grass Cutting and Maintenance Work

This will be carried out by Ash Parish Council and the frequency will be determined by weather conditions. Individual maintenance of grave spaces is the responsibility of owners. The Council reserves the right to carry out levelling or in-filling on grave spaces where this becomes necessary.

Litter and Rubbish

Litter bins are situated around the Cemetery and should be used to dispose of all rubbish.
Wreaths and floral tributes from recent funerals should be removed when they have deteriorated.

Water

A water supply is available in the Cemetery via storage tanks. Watering cans are provided. Visitors are asked not to use pesticides or insecticides when watering. The water supply may be turned off to avoid frozen pipes or during drought conditions.

Seats

Various seats have been provided in the cemetery for visitors to use.

Memorial Benches

All benches being placed in the cemetery should conform to a standard size and design and must be approved by Ash Parish Council. Benches shall only be placed at locations whitin the cemetery agreed with the Council's representative. Applications should be made to the Council in writing.

Benches may only be placed on a plot adjacent to a grave if the "Exclusive Right" to both plots have been purchased. Upon use of the second plot the bench will be relocated to the closest pathway. BENCHES MUST NOT BE PLACED BETWEEN THE PLOTS.

Where the "Exclusive Right" to an adjacent plot has not been purchased, benches must be positioned on designated pathways.

For benches placed in the Cemetery without authorisation the Council reserve the right to remove it to a designated pathway. In the event of benches being repeatedly placed on a plot without authorisation, Ash Parish Council has the right to remove the bench from the cemetery on a permanent basis and will not be responsible for any costs incurred.