Bereavement Crematorium and Cemetery Regulations

1. The Bereavement Services office will be open to the public on such days and during such hours as the council may, from time to time, determine.

2. At the time of adoption of these regulations by the council, the cemetery grounds will be open to the public during the following hours:

• April to September – Monday to Friday 8.30am to 7pm
• April to September – Saturday to Sunday 10am to 7pm
• October – Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm
• October – Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 5pm
• November to February – Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4pm*
• November to February – Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 4pm*
• March – Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm
• March – Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm
  *With the exception of Woodlands Memorial Park, where the main vehicular access gates close to the public at 5pm (October to March) and 7pm (April to September)

3. All persons entering the cemeteries or crematorium will be subject to the orders and control of the council.

4. Any unauthorised entry when the cemeteries are closed to the public contravenes Section 18(2) of The Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977, which states that:

No person shall:

1. Wilfully create any disturbance in a cemetery or any cremation taking place:
2. Commit any nuisance in a cemetery:

• • Wilfully interfere with any burial taking place in a cemetery:
  • Wilfully interfere with any grave or vault, any tombstone or other memorial or any flowers or plants or any such similar matter; or
  • Play at any game, or sport, or discharge firearm (save at a military funeral) in a cemetery.

Any person who contravenes may be liable to summary conviction.

Other examples of behaviour not acceptable within the crematorium or cemetery grounds are, to behave in a noisy, disorderly, or unseemly manner, consume alcohol or other controlled substance, gamble, hold picnics or barbeques, sunbathe, use improper or indecent language, trespass on any portion of the grounds or buildings, damage, destroy, or touch any tree, shrub, plant, monument, memorial, or any other property.

5. Visitors to the cemeteries & crematorium shall not unreasonably interrupt the council’s employees or their duties or employ them to execute private work within the cemeteries or extend to them any gratuity.

6. All complaints and requests by members of the public must be made to the Bereavement Services office and not to the employee within cemetery grounds.

7. Dogs must not be exercised within cemetery grounds.

8. All dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and must not foul within the cemetery grounds, (if this is unavoidable, the person in control of the dog must remove any deposit). Dogs must not interfere with or disturb any other person in the cemetery grounds.

9. Children who are, or appear to be, under the age of 14 years will not be permitted in the cemeteries of crematorium except under the care of a responsible person.

10. No person (other than the council) shall sell or expose for sale any article, commodity, or thing of any kind whatsoever or solicit orders for the same, within the cemeteries or crematorium.

11. Any person using a motor vehicle in the cemeteries or crematorium grounds shall only do so on a carriageway suited to the purpose, except with the consent of the Bereavement Services Manager. Parking on grassed and lawn areas is strictly prohibited.

12. All visitors to the cemeteries or crematorium and its grounds, must keep to the footpaths or roads and refrain from interfering with trees, shrubs and flowers.

13. No person shall drop, throw, or otherwise deposit and leave in the cemeteries or crematorium, any wastepaper or refuse of any kind, except in the receptacles provided for the purpose.

14. The taking of photographs, video, and tape recordings, within the cemeteries or crematorium shall be subject to the approval of the Bereavement Services Manager, who may demand production of the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial or an indemnity in the council’s favour where it is proposed to photograph a private grave or memorial.

15. Smoking is prohibited in any of the council’s buildings.

16. No employee of the council, or its contractor, is to demand or receive any gratuity

17. Enquiries about sections of the cemeteries reserved for different religious groups should be made to the Bereavement Services office.

18. In sections of the cemeteries consecrated in accordance with the rites of the Established Church, burials will only be permitted in accordance with the rites of a Christian denomination, or without any religious service, provided that any other rites are decorously performed.

19. Interments may only take place in accordance with these regulations and between the hours as agreed by the Bereavement Services Manager.

20. No interments will be normally permitted on a Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, or any other public holiday.

21. The time appointed for an interment will relate to when that funeral cortege is to arrive at the graveside where the interment is to take place. The funeral director, or person responsible for the funeral arriving after the appointed time, must act under the direction of the Bereavement Services Manager or their representative, as to when the funeral service may proceed.

22. Prior telephone booking is required for every interment and remains provisional until the Notice of Interment has been received and checked by Bereavement Services staff.

23. A Notice of Interment will not be accepted where there is an unknown grave owner, unless deemed to be a new Exclusive Right of Burial.

24. The Notice of Interment form and Disposal Certificate must be delivered to the office so as to allow a minimum of 3 clear working days prior the date of interment.

The council will accept no responsibility whatsoever for verbal arrangements where such arrangements have not been confirmed in writing on the prescribed form(s).

25. The Notice of Interment must be completed in full and contain details of the deceased; the proposed interment; the grave to be used, the coffin, and the signature of the owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial or the Applicant for Exclusive Right of Burial for a new grave.

26. The council will not accept responsibility for consequences arising from the loss or delay of any such notice, order or any other document sent by post, nor for the accuracy of the details contained in The Notice of Interment.

27. Traditional graves are only permitted in designated areas of the cemeteries.

28. Regulations 24 and 25 may be waived in cases of emergency, certified by a medical authority acceptable to the council as being in the interest of public health.

29. The person arranging the interment shall be responsible for the attendance of the Minister of Religion, to officiate at the burial service, and for the payment of any fee to which the Minister is entitled.

30. A certificate for disposal issued by the Registrar of Birth and Deaths or a Coroner’s Order for burial must be delivered to the office a minimum of 3 days before the burial takes place.

31. Any person procuring an interment without production of such certificate or order will be required to make a written declaration on the prescribed form in accordance with Section 1(1) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926.

32. In the case of interment of cremated remains, a certificate for burial purposes issued by the council as the cremation authority, will be required before an interment takes places.

33. In the case of Foetuses, the Medical Practitioner’s Confirmation of Delivery of a Non-Viable Foetus will be required.

34. If a coffin is not used for interment, the body must be enclosed in a shroud or winding sheet (the body is to be totally wrapped in this) and must be discreetly marked in such a way as to identify the deceased. Underneath will need to be incorporated, a wooden board to provide rigidity for handling purposes. An ‘outer shell’ may be needed if the wrapped body may be visible to members of the public.

35. In the case of full coffin internments, any memorial headstone must be removed 3 days prior in order for the grave to be excavated in a safe manner.

36. Where a grave is subject to an installed memorial including kerbs, the practice of tunnelling in order inter cremated remains and to not disturb any memorial in situ, is not permitted.

37. Employees of the council will prepare all graves or vaults.

38. After interment, no body or cremated remains may be removed from a grave or vault without the production of the ecclesiastical faculty and/or licence for exhumation required by law. The original documents will be required for this purpose.

39. Ceremonies of a special nature are subject to the approval of the Bereavement Services Manager.

40. In the case of the re-opening of a private grave or vault, where the written consent of the legal owner of the burial rights is required, the council will require to be indemnified against any action arising as a result of permitting the re-opening in such circumstances as the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial being said to be lost or the death of the owner of the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial. The office should be contacted for the appropriate form.

41. Following an interment, we will provide one temporary grave marker, which will be removed once a permanent memorial has been fitted or if the temporary marker should become excessively weathered through age.

When you buy a grave at one of our cemeteries in North Lincolnshire, what you are actually buying, is the Exclusive Right of Burial for a specific period: 50 years for a coffin or casket grave and cremated remains grave. You are not buying the grave freehold nor the grave space.

The ownership of the grave and cemetery land remains with North Lincolnshire Council. Exclusive Rights of Burial will be issued to the person or persons stated on our interment form.

Ownership of the Exclusive Right of Burial is very important. Ownership can be transferred either during the owner’s lifetime or after their death.

The council’s records, contain the details of the registered grave owner, and as such, it is important that grave owners keep safe their Deed of Grant. This is the document which is issued when the grave is first purchased and should be produced for each burial. Possession of the Deed does not in itself signify ownership of the Exclusive Right.

42. Exclusive Rights of Burial can be purchased in respect of available grave space, in accordance with these regulations and the scale of fees and charges applicable to such purchase at the time.

43. No person may hold, the Exclusive Right of Burial to more than one unused grave, and the holder must be over the age of 18 years.

44. All graves will normally be allocated in strict rotation within each section. New sections of graves will not commence until a minimum of 80% of the existing allocation for graves has been subscribed to. Plans showing the grave spaces available are kept at the offices, where they may be seen during normal office hours.

45. Whilst every effort will be made to achieve the full number of interments in a grave, the council cannot be held responsible if this cannot be achieved due to factors outside their control (e.g. ground conditions; weather).

46. A grant of Exclusive Right of Burial confers no other right, (e.g. right to erect a memorial; ownership of land), other than that of burial and each applicant for Exclusive Right of Burial must confirm receipt, in writing, of the Deed of Grant.

47. All grants of Exclusive Right of Burial will be made for a period of 50 years. There may be an option to extend the period of any grant at any time, however, an Exclusive Right of Burial may never exceed 50 years in total.

48. At the expiration of that period, the purchaser, and his/her heir or successors, may have the option to renew the Exclusive Right of Burial, subject to such restrictions and regulations as may be in force at that time. Application should be made for renewal of the Exclusive Right of Burial in the three months before the expiry of the previous grant.

49. Where the period of grant of Exclusive Right of Burial has elapsed, and no notification of an intention to renew has been received from the person who holds the Exclusive Right of Burial or his/her successors, the council may grant a renewed Right of Burial to any other person, but before doing so, where possible, will attempt to notify the previous owner of the right of burial, or his/her heir or successor (if known) and give the option of renewal.

The grieving process and related formal and informal rituals through which we mourn the passing of a loved one, is important for the health and wellbeing of the bereaved, and at North Lincolnshire Council we understand the important of memorials.
Whilst we completely understand the desire to remember loved ones, fencing and decoration(s) outside those permitted within our rules and regulations, make it very difficult for our grounds team to effectively maintain and care for the cemetery; it can also cause upset and distress to other families with loved ones in the same area.

Only accredited memorial fixers are permitted to erect memorials.

The council has overall responsibility for the health and safety of all visitors to our cemeteries. This includes testing the stability of the headstone and in certain circumstances, it will be necessary to lay the headstone down or alternatively, make safe with a support. We will endeavour to contact you. However, if your contact details are out of date, a sign will be left by the memorial.

59. In all cases, an application for a memorial must be made by the holder of the Exclusive Right of Burial, and where the owner is deceased, the transfer of ownership must have taken place and the Right held by a ‘living’ owner(s).

60. All memorials must be installed in accordance with the current NAMM Code of Working Practice and BS8415.

61. Masons undertaking the installation of memorials must be appropriately qualified and insured, this can be evidenced individually or through their registration with a nationally recognised memorial fixers accreditation scheme.

62. Applications for permission for the right to install a new memorial, replace or add inscriptions to existing memorials, can only be made by the registered grave owner. An application fee is payable in advance.

63. Rules apply as to the type, size, style, all memorial designs, and inscriptions. Applications must be approved prior to installation.

64. Application for approval to place any memorial in the cemeteries, alter or add to any inscription, or replace, add to, or remove from the cemeteries any memorial, must be submitted to the Bereavement Services office on the appropriate Application Form (available from the office).

65. Prior approval is required before any work is undertaken. Any approval is issued on the understanding that the work undertaken will fully comply with the details provided on the Permit Application Form and the requirements of these Regulations.
Any work that does not comply will not be permitted to remain in the cemeteries and may be removed without notice – the cost of this will be charged to the person who carried out the unauthorised work.
A permit and prior approval are also required for the professional cleaning, up righting, relevelling and the repair of an existing memorial and the refurbishing of inscriptions.
An approval is required for repair of existing lettering and/or inscriptions.

66. A memorial may only be erected on a grave space within the cemeteries in accordance with these Regulations with the approval of the Bereavement Services Manager and upon payment of the appropriate fee. The Right to erect a memorial will be for the unexpired portion of the Exclusive Right of Burial.

67. Memorials will not be permitted to be installed until at least 6 months after the date of a full interment, or 8 weeks in the case of cremated remains*. This allows for settlement of the soil within the grave plot; this should then ensure the stability and longevity of the memorial.

It should be noted that the ground conditions from cemetery to cemetery differ and further settlement of ground may take place; it is your selected stone mason’s responsibility to take this into account when fixing memorials.

68. Headstones shall be placed at the head end of a grave. Inscriptions are only permitted on one side of the headstone and shall face the length of the grave.

69. Following installation, the Memorial Mason must issue a certificate of compliance to the council, confirming the memorial has been installed in accordance with the current NAMM Code of Working Practice in compliance with BS 8415.

70. The stability of the memorial is the mason’s responsibility; memorials fixed in compliance to the current NAMM Code of Working Practice ensures compliance with BS8415 and confirms the mason has done all possible to meet their responsibility. This applies to new memorials, reinstated or re- levelled memorials, where all fixing components and materials including foundations must comply with current NAMM Code of Working Practice and BS8415 requirements.

71. A lawned grave memorial, shall have a base fixed on a foundation of hard stone or reinforced concrete in accordance with the NAMM Code of Working Practice. The memorial base may incorporate one or two flower containers and include up to two vases, tablets, or figures so long as they shall comply with these Regulations shall not extend beyond the perimeter of the base.

72. Pre-cast foundations for lawned grave memorials constructed from reinforced concrete, should have a smooth finish and be not less than 75mm thick. Hard stone foundations with a density of at least 2400 kg/m³ such as granite and horizontally bedded Silica stones (such as York stone) are acceptable for lawn grave memorial foundations provided they are of good quality.

73. Cast in situ foundations are permitted, however, must comply with specifications set out in the NAMM Code of Working Practice. If using this method, details of installation must be provided with the memorial application and approved before any groundwork commences.

74. A memorial of concrete, Bath or soft Caen stone, pottery, plastic, or fibreglass is not permitted and will be removed and disposed of without notice. The cost of removal and disposal will be charged to the person(s) who erected the memorial.

75. Any wording and images should be appropriate to the setting being a cemetery in a public place and must be deemed appropriate at the time of application. In matters of propriety, North Lincolnshire Council’s Bereavement Services decision is final.

76. Photographic plaques, not exceeding dimensions of 13cms, may be affixed to headstones or bronze plaques only.

77. The name of the memorial mason, section and grave numbers must be incised, or incised and inlaid, to match the main inscription, in figures up to 20mm high on the top rear of the memorial and, if present, on the corner of kerbing at the foot of the grave. Only the memorial masons name, section, and grave number shall be permitted on the rear face of the memorial.

78. No hewing or dressing of stone, other than cutting of an inscription, will be permitted in the cemeteries.

79. All materials and equipment shall be conveyed in the cemeteries in such a manner as to prevent risk of injury, damage to walks, paths, roads or turfed areas and all soil or waste material shall be removed from the cemeteries immediately in a professional manner. Protective mats, boards, or canvass shall be used to minimise damage to lawned areas.

80. The Bereavement Services office must be informed on an approved form, of the removal of any memorial from cemeteries.

81. The removal and re-erection of a memorial to facilitate the re-opening of a private grave or vault, or to level such a grave or vault, shall be at the expense of the owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial. Any person removing a memorial to permit further interment shall either safely remove the memorial from the cemeteries after informing the Bereavement Services office or place it in a position indicated by the Bereavement Services Manager.

82. Any memorial removed from a grave to facilitate an interment shall be replaced as soon as possible after the first anniversary of the last interment, if not before.

83. Any memorial erected in the cemeteries remains there at the sole risk of and must be kept in good state of repair by the owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial at his/her expense. The council reserves the right to remove, and dispose of without notice, any memorial not kept in a good state of repair and considered likely to present a health and safety risk. (Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977).

84. The council reserves the right to exclude or remove and dispose of without notice, from the cemeteries any memorial not installed in accordance with these regulations, or which is considered unsafe.

85. The council reserves the right to remove, without notice, any memorial and take any precautions necessary to safeguard the council’s employees or contractors when digging graves adjacent to any memorial. Note: All possible precautions will be taken to minimise the risk of damage occurring to memorials being disturbed in order to facilitate this necessity.

86. All personnel employed on behalf of the owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial to erect any memorial or to perform work on existing vault, memorial etc. shall:

• Perform the work in possession of the issued permit, during normal opening hours of the office:
• Monday to Friday 8.45am to 4:30pm
• Ensure the grave is left in a tidy condition, remove off site, all waste and unwanted material, and make good any damage or injury whatsoever occasioned in the process of the work.
• Provide their own tools and equipment which must be in a serviceable condition.
• Any person wanting to carry out work outside of the permitted hours, must inform the Bereavement Services office, a minimum of 48 hours before.

87. All foundations must comply with the NAMM Code of Working Practice and be larger on plan than the footprint of the memorial. The surface of the foundation at the head end, should be level with the adjacent ground at a point central to the memorial plate.

Kerbing to full graves is permitted in designated sections within our cemeteries ONLY.

120. Examples of memorials (whilst are examples, are not exhaustive; however, memorials must fall within these regulations in order to be permitted).

121. Inclusive of any base(s), a constructed memorial must not exceed a total height above ground level of 1067mm. Please note, ground level will be taken from a point adjacent to the centre of the memorial plate at the head end of the grave.

122. The maximum overall permitted dimension for a single traditional headstone incorporated as part of a memorial, including any base(s):

• Height – 1067mm
• Width – 914mm
• Thickness – 76mm – 152mm regardless of design
• Height of kerb surround – 305mm inclusive of any base(s)

123. Any cover or ledge slab incorporated into a kerb surround, must be a minimum of 51mm thick.

124. Kerb set dimensions are:

• Overall length – 2134mm
• Overall width – 914mm
• Height of kerb surround – 305mm inclusive of any base(s)

125. Precast foundations for use with traditional memorials constructed with kerbing, must be steel reinforced and larger on plan than the footprint of the memorial, including any attached corner post or vase.

126. Foundations for use with memorials with kerbing, must be installed in accordance with NAMM Code of Working Practice and have a maximum dimension of:

• Length – 2184mm
• Width – 1067mm
• Foundation should be 72mm – 102mm and with the top surface of the foundation at ground level

127. All memorials must have a foundation strong enough to take the weight of the finished structure and be large enough to keep it stable.

128. Vase or vases are permitted within any design; however, they must be within the footprint of the memorial.

129. No vases, planting or other memorabilia, is permitted outside of any kerb set.

130. The memorial plate must be fixed at the designated head end of the grave.

The only exceptions to the above rules and regulations, are lawned graves within Woodlands Memorial Park Sections A and B, and which are as follows:

153. Full Size Graves

154. Plaques (available through the Bereavement Services office), supplied in three colours, fixed at the head end of the grave – 1 per grave, accompanied by up to 2 (two) vases no greater than 229mm in any dimension, fixed in the garden border at the head end of the grave.

155. Angled open book set style

156. A granite memorial up to a maximum height of 508mm, with a colour to match the current plaques, using a reinforced concrete base with the following dimensions:

• Width – 914mm
• Depth (front to back) – 457mm
• Thickness – 76mm

157. Memorials must be fitted with a ground anchor, fixed at the head end of the grave with an overall depth of the memorial, not exceeding 457mm.

158. One memorial is permitted per grave, fitted in the garden border, at the head end of the grave.

159. Up to 2 (two) vases, no greater than 229mm in any dimension, fixed in the garden border at the head end of the grave; this is instead of a memorial headstone.

Examples of memorials (whilst are examples, are not exhaustive; however, memorials must fall within these regulations in order to be permitted).

161. Upright memorials set on a base, should have the maximum dimensions of:

• Height 610mm and inclusive of any base(s)
• Width – 457mm
• Thickness – 76mm

162. The memorial base must have a maximum dimension of:

• Width – 457mm
• Depth (front to back) – 305mm
• Thickness – 76mm

163. The foundation must be larger than the footprint of the memorial and have maximum dimensions of:

• Width – 559mm
• Depth (front to back) – 457mm
• Thickness – 76mm – 102mm

164. The memorial must be fixed at the designated head end of the grave.

165. A single vase is permitted no greater than 229mm in any dimension fixed securely, on an appropriate base not exceeding 51mm thickness and not protruding more than 51mm from the footprint of the headstone base.

No additional vases will be permitted in the lawn area of a grave space.

Cremated remains, traditional graves

Kerbing to full graves will only be permitted in designated sections within our cemeteries.

Examples of memorials (whilst are examples, are not exhaustive; however, memorials must fall within these regulations in order to be permitted).

186. The strewing of ashes is only permitted in Woodlands Memorial Park; once ashes have been scattered, they are neither identifiable nor retrievable.

187. Within Woodlands Memorial Park, a “Garden of Remembrance” and a “Rockery Garden” have been created, which although are not consecrated, are dedicated to the dead of all religions and non-believers.

188. Bereaved people can visit these gardens for some quiet solace and contemplation and memorials, where applicable, can be found in the form of towers, sundial or rose boulders.

189. The cremated remains may be strewn in designated areas within the Garden of Remembrance. Ashes are not permitted to be scattered in cultivated areas such as rose and shrub beds, nor in one solid mass on the ground, and will be scattered evenly on grassed areas before being covered with light soil and aggregated shortly after the strewing, to help preserve the beauty of the strewing area and encourage the remains to return to the earth.

190. The area in which the cremated remains are strewn is recorded in the registers held in our Bereavement Services office for future reference. It is important to consider that once scattering has taken place, cremated remains cannot be removed, individually located, or marked within the scattering areas. Cremated remains scattered are not contained in a casket or urn, and only a general location is recorded.

191. Unwitnessed strewing’s will not be recorded in our Burial and Cremation registers.

192. Where relatives of the deceased have previously been scattered, it is possible for other relatives to be strewn in the same area following their cremation (the full name and date of death of the previous deceased relative will be required).

193. Funeral Director may also offer to carry out this service on your behalf, and any arrangements must be made with them.

Where you engage a Funeral Director in carrying out the appointment, they are requested to ensure that the Bereavement Services office is notified prior to the date and time of the strewing.

Immediately following the strewing of cremated remains at Woodlands, (or the next working day), the completed documents must be returned to this office as failure to do so, may result in the strewing not being recorded in our registers.

Upon completion, funeral directors will receive a receipt indicating that the strewing has been successfully recorded. The lead family member will receive a leaflet directing them to the recorded location of their loved one.

194. Memorials are available to lease for siting in designated areas around the site.

195. Cremated remains left within our care, will be kept for a minimum period of 30 days, following which, we will attempt to contact the applicant on two occasions, giving notice before the remains will be scattered as per the original instruction.

205. The surface of every grave or vault shall be at ground level, except for an approved memorial permitted in accordance with these Regulations.

Where there is evidence of ground subsidence, every effort will be made to remedy as soon as ground conditions allow.

206. The placing on graves or vaults of items such as any glass object, pottery, tins, plastic or wire mesh fences, artificial grass, alcohol or any other items of wood, metal, plastic or any other material, is strictly forbidden.

Gravel and other similar aggregates are only permitted within traditional kerbing and is not to be placed outside of kerbing or on lawned graves.

For reasons of health and safety, and to protect all visitors to the grounds, alcohol is not permitted to be left anywhere within cemetery grounds and if found, will be removed, and disposed of immediately.

Any item so placed in contravention of these Regulations, will be removed and disposed of by the council without notice.

207. The council reserves the right to remove, without notice, from any vault or grave, flowers, plants or wreaths that in its opinion have become unsightly and to dispose of the same in such a manner as deemed fit.

Where practicable, the council will inform cemetery users when ground clearance operations are planned to take place, other than:

• Christmas: when displays and Christmas wreaths will be removed after 1 February
• For all other notable events (Valentine’s Day, Mothering Sunday, Easter Sunday, and Father’s Day), displays will be removed approximately four weeks after the date of the event.

208. Any plants or shrubs which encroach onto grass areas or other grave areas, will be cut back, or removed by the council, without prior notice.

209. The repair of memorials or any other item permitted on a grave is the responsibility of the grave owner.

210. Unauthorised memorials and other unpermitted items will be removed without prior notice by the council, and the cost may be recovered.

Winter Conditions

211. Only roads and paths where imminent funeral services are scheduled to take place, will be salted and/or gritted; the majority of footpaths, roads and parking places may remain covered with ice and/or snow.

As anniversaries occur every day of the year, and the bereaved feel an overwhelming need to visit, we never close our sites even though ice and snow exist. Please exercise extreme care throughout winter and avoid visits when ground conditions may result in a fall or some form of injury.

212. During the winter period, we do not treat frozen surfaces on graves.

213. Woodlands Crematorium Chapel is available for hire for memorial services as well as funeral services. We offer a number of services options and should you require an extension to your service, please liaise with the Bereavement Services office or your funeral arranger.

214. The chapel may be used for religious or non-religious service; services may be held in a separate place, like a church, followed by a short committal ceremony at the crematorium.
You can arrange for your own minister to carry out the service or your funeral director can help you find a suitable person.

215. We are able to offer visual tributes and live web streaming, as well as recordings, for events taking place in the chapel; these are subject to availability and additional charges as published on our website.

216. With advance notice, funeral and memorials service can be tailored for specific needs.
217. Where large gatherings are expected, we ask families to liaise with Bereavement Services staff and funeral arrangers to ensure minimum impact on other families who use our service.

We ask families on these occasions, to perhaps look at securing a service extension.

218. Pets are permitted into the Chapel during funeral services; however, advance notice must be given, and pets must be always restrained. If an animal foul any area within the Chapel, the owner or Funeral Director will be responsible for clearing any mess; there may be a charge should a professionally cleaning services be used.

219. During the funeral service, we permit a central bier to be positioned at the front as opposed to the coffin being placed directly upon the catafalque. However, the transfer of the coffin from the bier to the catafalque is the responsibility of your funeral director.

220. Candles are permitted in the Chapel, however, due to the nature of our facility, a maximum of 3 tea-light style candles are permitted on the surface of the coffin. These must be extinguished before the coffin is drawn off into the crematory.

221. We understand attending a funeral of a loved one is a difficult time for bereaved families, but strict punctuality by all persons attending a funeral, is required at all times and services which run longer than the permitted times, may be subject to an additional fee.

222. When the service is over, the funeral director will lead family and friends out of the chapel; you will have an opportunity to look at the floral tributes left on our patio area. Floral tributes remain on the patio area for a minimum period of 48 hours.

223. If families wish to remove floral tributes within the 48 hours, it is advisable to notify the office that this is what you wish to do. The council cannot be held accountable for any floral tributes which are removed without notice.

224. Cremators and all other ancillary equipment used in the Crematorium shall be kept in good repair and maintained in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations, and the requirements of the current guidance notes issued under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or subsequent legislation.

225. Fully completed statutory, and other required documents must reach the Bereavement Services office no later than 3:00pm, two working days prior to the funeral. Failure to comply may be subject to a fee for late burial or cremation paperwork and/or could result in the service to be postponed.

The council cannot be held responsible if medical practitioners submit incomplete forms and documents; every effort will be made to ensure there is no delay to the cremation process, however, all cremations by law, are required to be authorised by a medical referee prior to taking place.

226. Correct identity: no coffin shall be accepted at any Crematorium unless it bears adequate particulars of the identity of the deceased person contained therein. If a coffin is encased, the cover and the coffin must bear adequate identity of the deceased person.

227. Every care is taken to ensure correct identification throughout the whole proceedings from the moment the coffin is received onto the catafalque until the final disposal of the Cremated Remains/Ashes.

228. There are occasions when a Funeral Director informs the Bereavement Services that an item is to be removed from or added into the coffin after the chapel service has concluded. Written permission is required from the Bereavement Services Manager, or their representative and the applicant for the cremation prior to this taking place.

229. The utmost care is taken to ensure that the Cremated Remains/Ashes, following their removal from the cremator, shall be kept separate and suitably identified. The Cremated Remains/Ashes shall be placed in a separate container awaiting final disposal.

230. We can offer family member(s), witnessing of the coffin being placed into the cremator; this is known as witness charging. Due to our limited space, a maximum of 4 persons will be allowed into the crematory.

Witness charging arrangements must be made in advance as this may not be possible without prior notification being received; we ask for a minimum of 1 working days’ notice to be given.

231. The fees and charges prescribed for the use of the cemeteries and crematorium services, shall be those specified in the scale of fees and charges, and as published on our website.

232. All fees and charges are periodically reviewed and amended.

233. All fees and charges are payable in advance to the council, except in the case of Funeral Directors, and Monumental Masons dealing continuously with the council.

Payments may be permitted to be rendered as agreed, however must be discussed, in advance, with the Bereavement Services office.

234. All persons (not employed by the council) engaged in work in the crematorium or cemeteries, shall comply with all reasonable requests, directions, and requirements of the Bereavement Services Manager.

235. During Crematorium service hours, access is subject to absolute right of way being given to any funeral cortege in the crematorium or cemetery grounds (this includes for those cemeteries not immediately adjacent to Woodlands Crematorium).

236. A funeral cortege which arrives at its destination by horse drawn carriage; it is the responsibility of the funeral director or carriage men, to ensure any soiling of roadways and footpaths is removed and disposed of immediately but allowing for funeral service to proceed without delay.

237. No vehicle is to be left in a position so as to cause an obstruction to other traffic.

238. A speed of 5 miles per hour is not to be exceeded.

239. Vehicles must only be driven on roads intended for vehicular use. Permission for admission of vehicles may be withdrawn at any time.

240. No liability is accepted by the council for loss of or damage to flowers or any item left unaccompanied within the Crematorium grounds or any North Lincolnshire Council managed cemetery.

241. No liability is accepted by the council for loss or of damage to a vehicle or its contents, or injury to its driver or passengers howsoever arising, within the Crematorium grounds or any North Lincolnshire Council managed cemetery.

242. All reasonable requests and requirements of the Bereavement Services office shall be complied with.

243. Registers of all burials, graves and cremations are kept at the Bereavement Services office.

244. Individuals are able to search records themselves, however an appointment must be made advance; priority will always be given to burials and cremations taking place at the time of the request.

245. There is a fee payable for searches requested to be completed by Bereavement Services staff;

246. The council is empowered to alter or amend the foregoing Regulations at any time and to introduce further regulations as they consider necessary, e.g. in the case of newly established sections of the cemeteries.

247. The council may waive any of the foregoing Regulations where it considers there are exceptional circumstances.