Dunnington Cemetery
Cemetery Rules and Regulations 13th November 2023
Dunnington Cemetery, Eastfield Lane, YO19 5NE
Rules and Regulations, approved by the Parish Council on 13th November 2023.
Dunnington Cemetery (the Cemetery) is owned, operated and regulated (subject only to Home Office Regulations in force at the time) exclusively by Dunnington Parish Council (the Parish Council). The Cemetery is situated as shown on the attached plan and is divided into three parts; phase 1 which opened in 2011, phase 2 which will open shortly, and phase 3 for the future.
The Parish Council has chosen to discharge its responsibilities for the operation of the Cemetery to the Cemetery Advisory Group and, similarly, devolve day-to-day responsibilities to the Parish Clerk of the Parish Council.
The Cemetery is intended for the use of the residents of Dunnington. However, the Parish Council will interpret this in a reasonable manner. Qualifying persons will include the following:
- Those born and raised in the Parish of Dunnington.
- Those living in the Parish at the time of their death.
- Those who for health reasons have left the Parish of Dunnington within the last 4 years.
- Those wishing to be buried with a relative who has already been interred in the Cemetery or who has purchased a plot.
- Any other application will be assessed by the Parish Council and a decision will be made in a timely manner. Please note that there will be a surcharge for non-Parish residents.
The Parish Council may from time to time change, amend or vary the following rules, according to the circumstances at the time.
Burials and Interments including Cremated Remains.
1. Each plot can be consecrated individually.
2. Plots will be used in numerical order as given on the plan.
3. Exclusive Rights of Burial are granted subject to any rules, regulations and bylaws which are in force at the time.
4. Kerbs and vaults will not be permitted.
5. Only coffins and caskets ethically sourced will be permitted.
6. Written notice of an interment is to be given in the form provided by the Parish Clerk not later than 5 working days prior to the interment.
7. No interment shall take place in any plot in which exclusive Rights of Burial subsists except with the consent, in writing, of the owner or successor of the Right. Nobody shall dispose of a pre-purchased plot without the consent of the Parish Council.
8. Only human remains and human cremated remains will be permitted to be interred in the Cemetery.
9. All graves and ashes plots are to be dug and back-filled by a person or persons so qualified and approved by the Parish Council. This is usually arranged by your Funeral Director.
10. Headstones for graves and cremation plots must be of a design approved by the Parish Council. Such a headstone may be erected only after any registration fee in force at the time has been paid, and a period of 3 months from the interment has elapsed.
11. All headstones and vases proposed to be placed in the Cemetery, and inscriptions thereon, are to be subject to the approval of the Parish Council.
12. Only headstones of natural stone will be allowed and only on the purchased plots. A wooden temporary marker may be used until the headstone has been installed. Glass shades, vases, jars or other ornaments are not permitted.
13. All headstones are to be kept in good repair by the owners or those responsible. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove headstones not kept in good repair or placed without the correct authority. Headstones will be inspected and tested regularly in accordance with health and safety regulations, and the appropriate action taken.
14. The maximum size for a headstone will be as follows:
- All graves – Height 3’6” (107cm), Width 3’ (91cm), Depth 1’4” (41cm).
- Cremated remains – Height 2’6” (76cm), Width 2’ (61cm), Depth 1’ (30.5cm).
- Only upright headstones are permitted.
- These sizes include the stone slab base which must be placed under every headstone.
- Maximum size for a vase – Height 1’ (30.5cm) x Width 1’ (30.5cm) x Depth 1‘ (30.5cm).
15. No plastic flowers or mementos will be permitted, and any seasonal wreaths will be removed one month after the seasonal event.
16. Vehicles will be allowed in the Cemetery parking area for specific reason of attending to Cemetery functions. No unauthorised parking is permitted.
17. No other types of formal or informal memorials are permitted without the specific approval of the Parish Council.
18. Interments will only be permitted to take place on a Monday to Friday between the hours of 9am and 5pm. No grave or cremated remains plots can be dug outside of these times.
19. The Cemetery is a lawned Cemetery meaning burial and interment plots can only be marked by headstones. Sprinkling of ashes is strictly prohibited. All landscaping, the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers, their maintenance and removal are the sole responsibility of the Parish Council.
20. The Parish Council will arrange for the maintenance of the Cemetery, including grass cutting, on behalf of the owners for which a fee may be charged if so approved by the Parish Council. The maintenance of headstones and associated costs will be the responsibility of the owner or those responsible for the grave.
21. With the exception of assistance dogs, no pets or animals are allowed in the Cemetery.
22. All visitors to the Cemetery are expected to act with due respect. Any acts of anti-social behaviour and vandalism will be reported to the Police.
23. Hours of Opening - The Cemetery will be open from dawn to dusk. Access is not permitted during hours of darkness.
24. It is a criminal offence for any person not being an officer of the Parish Council, or their appointed contactor to enter or remain in the Cemetery at any hour when access is not permitted.
25. Fees - The cost of a plot and the burial fee, including those for cremated remains will be determined by the Parish Council and revised from time to time by the Cemetery Advisory Group, subject to approval of the Parish Council. The fees are published in a table and charged accordingly by the Parish Clerk.
26. Up to 3 sets of cremated remains can be interred in a burial plot once a full coffin has been interred, however should a cremated remains be interred prior to a full coffin, then only cremated remains can be interred up to a maximum of 4.
27. Any item not covered by these Rules and Regulations will be determined by the Parish Council. The Parish Council in conjunction with the Cemetery Advisory Group, reserves the right to amend these Rules and Regulations at any time.
END