HOUGHTON REGIS TOWN COUNCIL
CEMETERY REGULATIONS
Approved:
Revised:
Amended:
17TH March 2004
30th August 2011
9th November 2012
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
CONTENTS
Section
Title
Page
1
General Information
3
2
Cemetery Location and Layout
3
3
Hours of Opening
5
4
Notice of Burial
5
5
Hours of Burial
5
6
Cemetery Fees
5
7
Exclusive Rights of Burial
5
8
Certificate of Burial or Cremation
6
9
Private Graves
6
10
Common Graves
6
11
Cremated Remains
6
12
Memorials
7
13
Wooden Crosses
8
14
Maintenance of Graves including Ashes Plots
8
15
Cemetery Rules
8
2
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
HOUGHTON REGIS TOWN COUNCIL CEMETERY REGULATIONS
These Cemetery Regulations were revised and adopted by the Council at its Meeting
held on 17th March 2004 and subsequently revised by the Council at its Meeting held
on 23rd October 2006.
1.
General Information
Houghton Regis Town Council manages the Houghton Regis Cemetery and
takes pride in maintaining it to a high standard and creating an atmosphere of
peace and calm. These regulations are compiled in order to ensure this. Visitors
to the Cemetery are asked to observe the regulations governing the Cemetery,
which are set out herewith.
Enquiries concerning the Cemetery can be made to:
Houghton Regis Town Council
Peel Street
Houghton Regis
Beds LU5 5EY
Tel:
01582 708540
Fax: 01582 861102
E-mail: info@houghtonregis.org.uk
The Town Council’s Environment Committee takes responsibility for the
Cemetery. A list of Councillors on this Committee can be obtained from the
Council Offices.
The Registers and records relating to the Cemetery are available, by
appointment, for inspection at the Council Offices. Please telephone to make an
appointment.
The Council reserves the right to make additions and alterations to the
regulations from time to time.
2.
Cemetery Location and Layout
Cemetery Address:
Houghton Regis Cemetery
Cemetery Road
Houghton Regis
Beds
3
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
Figure 1: Map Showing Cemetery Location
Figure 2: Cemetery Layout
4
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
3.
Hours of Opening
The Cemetery is open to the public throughout the year but the Council reserves
the right to exclude the public if it should be necessary at any time.
4.
Notice of Burial
Written notice of burial must be given to the Town Council between 9am and
5pm Mondays to Fridays. At least five clear working days (excluding Saturdays,
Sundays and public holidays) must elapse between the day on which notice of
burial is given and the day of the funeral.
5.
Hours of Burial
Burials shall take place on Monday to Friday inclusive. The following shows the
permitted burial times:
Summer Period (1st April – 30th September)
Monday – Thursday 9am to 3.30pm
Friday
9am to 12.30pm
Winter Period (1st October to 31st March)
Monday – Thursday 9am to 1.30pm
Friday
9am to 12.30pm
Burials on a Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day,
Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Bank Holidays, or any other day declared to
be a public holiday, will be permitted only in cases of emergency. The certificate
of a coroner or registered medical practitioner confirming that immediate burial is
necessary will be required.
6.
Cemetery Fees
The current fee schedule for burials and monuments is available from the
Council Offices. Please note that non-parishioner fees are at triple rate.
The Council’s fees are normally paid through the Undertaker. However where
this is not the case all fees must be paid at the Council Offices when notice of
burial is given, or memorial permits are applied for.
All fees must be paid before the work in respect of which they are payable is
begun. A receipt will be provided.
7.
Grant of Exclusive Rights of Burial
In order to bury within the Cemetery it is necessary for the Grant of Exclusive
Right of Burial to be purchased for a particular grave space. This permits the
purchaser, or their next of kin, to decide who shall be buried in that grave.
The Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial does not give ownership rights to the
purchaser.
5
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
Grave plots or ashes plots cannot be pre-purchased, or a particular plot chosen,
by the purchaser. The Council will allocate the next available plot until the row is
complete upon which a new row will be started.
Second burials will only be permitted in a grave when the Grant of Exclusive
Right of Burial has been produced for inspection at the Council Offices by the
Grantee or their lawful successor.
8.
Certificate of Burial or Cremation
The registrar or coroner’s Certificate for Burial (or in the case of a still-born child,
a certificate in accordance with the Births and Deaths Act, 1926) must be
produced at the time of burial.
A Certificate of Cremation must be produced before cremated remains can be
interred.
9.
Private Graves
The Council undertakes the digging of graves in the cemetery.
Where more than one burial takes place in a grave there shall be a layer of earth
not less than 15cm (6 inches) in thickness, plus the thickness of the coffin board,
between each coffin. No part of any coffin shall be less than 1m (3 feet) below
the level of the ground.
No grave shall be deepened after the first burial.
No grave shall be prepared and left open over a weekend or public holiday.
10. Common Graves
Every grave in respect of which no Exclusive Right of Burial has been
purchased, shall be available for two burials, should that be deemed necessary.
No headstone may be erected on a common grave.
11. Cremated Remains
The Council undertakes the digging of ashes plots.
A casket containing cremated remains may be buried in any plot in the Cemetery
for which the Exclusive Right of Burial has been purchased.
12. Memorials
Permission must be obtained, in advance, for the right to erect a memorial on a
grave and the appropriate fee paid.
The right to place a memorial will be granted only in respect of graves for which
an exclusive right of burial has been granted. Applications must be made by the
Grantee or their lawful successor. In any other cases the consent of the Grantee
will be sought.
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Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
A drawing of the memorial, showing details of dimensions, inscription and the
design must be submitted to the Town Council for approval. It is strongly
recommended that the approval of the memorial be obtained prior to any costs
being incurred.
The number of the grave, as shown in the interment book, must be placed on
each memorial.
Only Memorials within the following dimensions are permitted:


Burial Plots
Headstone
Maximum height 4’6” x maximum width 2’6”
Flat Stone
Maximum dimensions 12” x 18”
Children’s Burial Plots
Headstone

Maximum height 2’ 6” x maximum width 1’ 6”
Ashes Plots
Headstone
Maximum height 12” x maximum width 18”
Vases
Maximum height 10”
Tablet
Not exceeding 18” x 18”
The Town Council is not liable for any damage to a memorial through any cause
other than its own negligence.
Temporary memorials are not permitted other than wooden crosses. (see
Section 13)
Edging of any kind that stands above the level of the ground (soil), including
kerbing and fencing of any material, is not allowed. Gravel, shingle, pebbles,
slate or any other hard surfaced materials are not permitted on or around the
graves and will be removed.
The Council reserves the right, after consultation with the grantee, to remove
unauthorised memorials or any ornaments which in the Council’s opinion are
offensive or inappropriate.
The maintenance and repair of a memorial is the responsibility of the owner. The
Town Council undertakes a 6-monthly inspection of all memorials to ensure that
they are maintained in a good state of repair. The Council will undertake to
contact the owner of the memorial by sending a letter to his/her last known
address, displaying notice of its intention at the Cemetery should the memorial
be found to be in disrepair, in order that the necessary remedial action can be
taken. Should the owner not be traceable the Council reserves the right to
remove the memorial. Whilst attempts are made to trace the owner the Council
reserves the right to lay a memorial down flat in order to ensure safety within the
Cemetery.
7
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
13. Wooden Crosses
Details must be submitted to the Town Council on the appropriate form for the
erection of a wooden cross, which must detail its height, any inscription, and the
approximate length of time it will be placed there, and must be accompanied by
the appropriate fee before it is erected. The Town Council reserves the right to
remove the wooden cross after this time.
14. Maintenance of Graves including Ashes Plots
Flowers and wreaths may be placed on and around the grave on the day of the
funeral. Withered flowers and wreaths will be removed after 2 weeks by Council
staff. Families are requested to remove any items they wish to keep before this
time.
Cut flowers may be placed in suitable receptacles set into the memorial and its
base.
Grave Plots
Planting is allowed in front of a grave headstone, but must;
 Not exceed the width of the headstone;
 Only include bedding plants or low-level shrubs, which do not exceed 0.3m
(1ft) in height.
Planting is allowed in front of an ashes headstone, but must:
 Not exceed the width of the headstone;
 Only include bedding plants or low-level shrubs, which do not exceed 0.3m
(1ft) in height.
For all Plots
The Council reserves the right to bring any planting in line with these
Regulations.
No edging or kerbing that stands above the level of the ground (soil) is permitted
around the planting and gravel, shingle, pebbles, slate or any other hard
surfaced material are not allowed.
Where, in the opinion of the Council, the planting is not maintained and kept tidy,
the Council may give instructions for the plants to be removed and the grave
levelled and grassed over.
The Council accepts no responsibility for any planting of graves.
15. Cemetery Rules
Children under the age of 12 years are not permitted in the Cemetery, unless
accompanied by a responsible adult.
Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times while in the cemetery and dog
excrement picked up and placed in the waste bin provided.
8
Approved: 17th March 2004
Revised: 30th August 2011
Amended: 9th November 2012
Houghton Regis Town Council
Cemetery Regulations
All visitors to the Cemetery are to park in the car park. No wheeled vehicles,
other than invalid carriages, wheelchairs or perambulators may be taken onto
the roadway around the Cemetery, except for vehicles attending funerals or
bringing in materials or equipment for the placement of memorials, digging of
graves etc. Such permitted vehicles shall keep to the roadway within the
Cemetery.
Any person found in the Cemetery:




wilfully creating any disturbance;
committing any nuisance;
wilfully interfering with any burial;
wilfully interfering with any grave, memorial, flowers or plants or any such
matter: or
playing at any game of sport
is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding
£100 and in the case of a continuing offence to a fine not exceeding £10 for each
day during which the offence continues after conviction.
THE COUNCIL RESERVES THE RIGHT FROM TIME TO TIME TO MAKE ANY
AMENDMENTS TO THE FOREGOING REGULATIONS.
9