Grave Yard Management
Grave Yard Management
Effective: 1 June 2022
The graveyards at Trinity are available to and reserved for church members. However, this term (member) as used previously in this particular context has led to some confusion. This is due in some part to the fluid nature of connections to the congregation. Some who may not worship with us regularly because they have moved away, or perhaps have grown up in the congregation and have a family connection here but have no direct involvement in the life of the congregation, will often maintain this loose connection by visiting occasionally and contributing financially in some form to the funds of our congregation. We recognise these historical contexts, and do appreciate the financial support. However, those who have no regular involvement in the life of the fellowship are perhaps better classified as ‘subscribers’.
Membership of the church family is altogether different, and outside the bounds of this particular document.
As this document is principally concerned with financial matters the term ‘contributor’ is used throughout in place of member/subscriber or any other descriptor.
Costs in relation to maintenance of the three graveyard sites we have here at Trinity Boardmills are considerable and constantly rising. Effectively this has meant that the Church has been subsidising this routine maintenance. Our charges have therefore undergone a full review, taking into account typical charges applying elsewhere and the considerable annual maintenance requirements pertaining here.
| Qualifying Contributors |
Contributors | Non-Affiliated, Non-Contributing Persons |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| New Grave Plots | £500 | Not available | Not available |
| Interment Fee | *£100 | £300 | £450 |
| Transfer of Grave Plots |
£100 | £250 | £400 |
| Erection of Memorials |
No charge | £30 | £100 |
| Burial of Cremated Ashes (Existing Plots only) |
£50 | £75 | £100 |
| * Not applicable for a new plot |
For the purposes of interpretation and clarity the following principles apply:
Qualifying Contributors – Those who have contributed for each of the previous three years and whose contributions for each of those years have averaged at least £120 pa.
Contributors – Those who have not met the contribution levels described above.
Non-Affiliated, Non-Contributing – Those who do not meet either of the qualifications outlined above, but have a grave registered in their name or have permission from a grave-holder to bury.
Transfers – Requests to Transfer must be made in writing to the Church Committee for approval or otherwise.
For the purposes of interpretation and clarity the following principles apply:
Qualifying Contributors – Those who have contributed for each of the previous three years and whose contributions for each of those years have averaged at least £120 pa.
Contributors – Those who have not met the contribution levels described above.
Non-Affiliated, Non-Contributing – Those who do not meet either of the qualifications outlined above, but have a grave registered in their name or have permission from a grave-holder to bury.
Transfers – Requests to Transfer must be made in writing to the Church Committee for approval or otherwise.
Burial Certificates are required by Government Regulations to be surrendered on or before dates of funerals, with the appropriate interment fee.
● Applications for interment are to be made to the Graveyard Convenor and a Graveyard Registration card is to be produced.
● Right of Burial is to be registered in one name only – joint ownership is not permitted.
● Planting of flowers or shrubs is prohibited as graves must be sown out in grass.
● No person is allowed, under any circumstances whatsoever, to enter the graveyards to erect headstones, surrounds, open graves, or make any alteration to burying ground, without first consulting with the Church Committee or the Convenor, and obtaining permission. Every proposal in this respect shall be in writing accompanied with a plan drawn to scale and containing the detailed particulars.
● Proprietors are required to keep their graves in good order, and all discarded materials such as flowers and wreaths are to be placed in the appropriate waste receptacles.
For further enquiries please email: [email protected]
The Church Committee, at their absolute discretion, reserves the right to circumvent any of the above rules or principles at any time or for any particular reason or situation and their decision shall be final and binding at all times.
