East Dunbartonshire Council is to embark on a four-year programme of checks on headstones and memorials in cemeteries and churchyards across the area to ensure they are safe places to visit and work.
East Dunbartonshire has a combination of 11 cemeteries and churchyards which contain approximately 18,000 headstones and memorials, some of which are over 100 years old.
Although the headstones and memorials are not owned by the Council, it has a duty of care to ensure that they do not pose a health and safety risk to anyone working within or visiting these locations.
Each headstone and memorial will be inspected by trained operatives in a sensitive manner to make sure it is not at risk of falling over and injuring someone.
The Council has engaged a specialist contractor who will undertake a comprehensive inspection process. Work is due to begin in November at Old Aisle Cemetery in Kirkintilloch before moving to other locations over a planned four-year programme.
Councillor Paul Ferretti, Convener of the Council’s Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee, said, “The Council maintain these sites and it’s really important they’re safe places for people to be when they pay their respects at the graves of their family and friends.
“This inspection programme is being introduced following a number of accidents that have occurred across the country in recent years and will identify any headstones or memorials that may need further action to make them safe.
“The people carrying out the inspections are conscious of what they are doing when they test headstones. These memorials are remembrances of someone’s loved ones and family and they are very sensitive and respectful to that fact.
“I’d like to reassure people that no memorials or headstones will be removed from the site as part of this inspection programme. The ownership of the headstone or memorial remains the property of the lair holder.”
Signage will be placed at each entrance to Auld Aisle Cemetery in advance of, and during the works, to alert visitors to the inspections. Social media messaging will also be used to highlight the work being undertaken. The Cemetery will remain open throughout this process.
The Council maintain these sites and it’s really important they’re safe places for people to be when they pay their respects at the graves of their family and friends.
The outcome of the inspections will determine the next course of action.
If the inspection confirms that a headstone is safe, then no action will be required.
However, if any issue is noted then the Council will attempt to contact the named lair owner to make them aware of the issue and ask them to take action to make it safe.
If a headstone or memorial is deemed as unsafe then the Council may need to take immediate action to make it safe and will make every effort to contact the lair owner to notify them of the action taken.
The findings of these initial inspections will be the subject of a report to the PNCA Committee together with recommendations regarding future actions.
If you own a memorial headstone, or if you have any questions regarding any aspect of headstone testing, please check that we have the correct contact details for you by calling the Streetscene Technical Support team on tel:0300 123 4510 or by emailing cemeteries@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
A list of Frequently Asked Questions has been prepared and can be found on the Headstone and Memorial Safety Inspections FAQs page
