APPENDIX A

AA Bereavement Services

Milton Keynes Council

www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/Bereavement-Services

Cemetery Land Use Strategy

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 The provision and management of cemeteries is an important service the council provides that is utilised by the community at a time of great emotional stress.

1.2 This strategy provides the council with a clear direction for the service which is flexible enough to both be reviewed and amended in light of changes in burial law, policy or public expectation.

1.3 The document covers four main areas of policy summarised below:-

• To ensure sufficient land is available for burial – this is dealt with by optimising the use of existing cemeteries, exploring the potential for extensions to existing cemeteries and recommendations for the long term.

• To ensure that the needs of the whole community are met –the council will seek to meet the differing requirements for burial within the community.

• The Council will ensure a flexible approach to memorialisation providing a choice of facilities to meet the needs of our multicultural society.

• The Council will seek to conserve and enhance the natural, cultural and historic features of the cemeteries as part of the heritage of the Borough

2. VISION

2.1 Milton Keynes Council ensures that the bereavement needs of the whole community are met by ensuring the provision of facilities for the disposal and commemoration of the dead which take into account the requirements of different faiths and cultures as well as those without faith.

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3. INTRODUCTION AND HISTORY

3.1 Until the early 19th Century, churches provided cemeteries, but with a rapidly expanding population, particularly in built up areas, demand was rapidly outstripping capacity, with the result that many Victorian Churchyards in urban areas were full and actually a threat to public health. The problem was addressed in the 1850’s with Acts of Parliament enabling local authorities to provide burial grounds, and the majority of town and city cemeteries date from this period. At the time they were the focus of great civic pride, and at the time many were even considered commercially viable propositions.

3.2 So, the reasons local authorities were enabled to provide cemeteries were linked to public health, something which does not seem as pressing today, especially with the majority of Britain’s population (approximately 70%) choosing cremation rather than burial. However, burial is continuing to be an important option, for several reasons:

• Some religions (predominantly Muslims and Jews) insist on burial of the dead rather than cremation; others (Roman Catholics), whilst now permitted to choose cremation, still predominantly prefer burial. The British Muslim population in particular is increasing as a proportion of the total population, and with an increasing number born in Britain, they will choose British burial grounds over the traditional practice of flying bodies back to the country of origin of the deceased;

• There has been an increased trend in the interment of cremated remains in both areas set aside for their burial, and in graves used for coffin burials, which seems set to continue.

3.3 Legally the Council is under a statutory duty to dispose of those who die within the Borough where no other funeral arrangements are being made. Whereas this could be satisfied by burial outside the borough boundary in another district the Council has thought it appropriate to provide cemeteries. Once provided the authority has a duty to maintain those cemeteries.

3.4 Milton Keynes Council provides and manages 10 cemeteries covering a total of about 25 hectares and carries out an average of 200 burials per year.

3.5 Currently MKC operates cemeteries at the following locations. Full details of each cemetery are given in Annex 1. Those marked with a * are full for new burials.

Bletchley – Whalley Drive * Bletchley – Selbourne Avenue Crownhill – Crematorium *

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Fenny Stratford – Manor Road * New Bradwell/Stantonbury – Newport Road Newport Pagnell - Tickford Street Newport Pagnell – Ousebank * Stony Stratford – Calverton Lane * Stony Stratford – London Road * Wolverton – Woburn Avenue

3.6 As part of the provision for the growth of Milton Keynes the need for a new cemetery on the Western Expansion Area (North of Crownhill) and the East Flank of MK have been identified.

3.7 In addition, the Council is responsible for the maintenance of closed churchyards.

3.8 They are: Holy Trinity Churchyard, Great Woolstone (also called the Rosebury Music rooms) St Peter and St Paul, Olney St George the Martyr, Church Street, Wolverton St Mary’s Churchyard, Bletchley St Giles’ Churchyard, Tattenhoe (Not included in landscape contract Church members maintain cemetery but could request that the council take over this) St Peter and St Paul, Newport Pagnell

Churchyards landscape maintained by Environmental Services Holy Trinity Churchyard and Community Centre, Little Woolstone. Broughton Cemetery (not closed but a redundant churchyard under the Pastoral Measures Act). St Mary’s Magdalene Tower, Stony Stratford (also called St Mary’s and St Giles old burial ground details show this may have been gifted to the council from MK Development Corporation, possibly under the Pastoral Measures Act of Redundant Churchyard)

3.9 Cemeteries are also provided by churches, some Parishes & Town Councils and private companies. There is a privately run green burial site near Olney for example and Olney Town Council owns and runs a cemetery. Typically such local cemeteries only permit the burial of parishioners

3.10 Both MKC cemeteries and the closed churchyards require maintenance including to, paths, roads, car parks, walls, fences, railings, grass, trees, shrubs, lych-gates, chapels, buildings, and bridges. MKC is also responsible for safety in cemeteries which requires regular inspection of memorials to ensure they are safe.

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3.11 There are currently (2011)about 200 burials in MKC cemeteries per year. Nearly all are residents of Milton Keynes. To put this in perspective there are about 1600 cremations a year. The income from the sale of burial plots and memorial fees is used to offset the costs of running the service with the aim being to break even.

3.12 The development of this strategy is driven by requests and queries being received from various organisations concerning cemetery provision and the need to define the Councils position to enable forward planning of the necessary infrastructure to cope with the growth of Milton Keynes..

3.3 In the development of this strategy the main issues considered were :-

3.4 Should MKC provide cemeteries? If yes then how should they be provided? Large strategic cemeteries serving the whole Borough could be provided or should the Council respond to requests from individual communities to provide smaller local cemeteries? Recently, for example Stony Stratford Town Council approached MKC as they would like a further cemetery to serve the town. This is despite capacity in nearby Wolverton and the strategic site identified for future development in the Western Expansion Area to the South of the town. It is conceivable that Newport Pagnell will also approach the Council when Tickford Street cemetery is full.

3.5 Within the next 5 years it is likely that Selbourne Avenue cemetery will be the only cemetery open for new burials in the Borough pending the development of a cemetery on the Western Flank. Should the Council seek out sites for smaller local cemeteries in the North East and South East of the Borough?

3.6 Individual faiths have approached the Council requesting sections be set aside in each cemetery for their use. Should the Council provide separate sections or should the Council provide a general facility that can be used by persons of any faith or no faith at all?

3.7 Some cultures have different requirements as to the nature of the grave. This might include brick, concrete or timber lined graves, above ground mausoleum, family plots etc. The provision of these does require areas to be provided in the cemetery for this purpose. Should the Council provide facilities for different types of memorial?

3.8 Cemetery management is a particularly sensitive area of any local authority’s operations. Unfortunately, it is a function that can suffer from insufficient resources and only comes to the forefront of attention through negative publicity caused by complaints. This need not and should not be the case.

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4. Strategic Policy Statements

4.1 The following strategic policy statements are followed by individual policies that detail the specific way that the strategy will be implemented.

4.2 Policy Statement 1 The Council will seek to ensure that sufficient cemetery space is available within the Borough for new graves for those members of our community who prefer burial to cremation

4.3 P1.1 MKC will seek to optimise the use of the land in its cemeteries and will re examine each cemetery and identify and bring in to use, where possible, parcels of land such as access strips and paths, disused areas of landscaping etc.

4.4 P1.2 In order to provide facilities for the future disposal of cremated remains Crownhill Cemetery and gardens of remembrance will not be used for grave burials or cremated remains plots beyond the completion of existing identified areas. The interment or strewing of cremated remains will still be permitted but, only renewable, time limited, memorials allowed.

4.5 The Council have with foresight ensured land is available at Selbourne Avenue to ensure sufficient capacity pending the development of further sites.

4.6 P 1.3 MKC will use the master planning process to identify and reserve sites for future strategic cemeteries. The development control process will be used to secure sites and funding for the provision of strategic bereavement facilities such as cemeteries, gardens of remembrance and crematorium. In particular the completion of the Selbourne Avenue Cemetery and future provision in the Western Expansion Area (WEA) and Eastern flank.

4.7 In the recent past the Council have extended the cemeteries at Tickford Street, Newport Pagnell (extension into the adjacent, then, underused, allotments with the assistance of NPTC), Newport Road, New Bradwell and Wolverton. The first two are nearly full with currently no options for further extensions. Further land may be available adjacent to Wolverton cemetery however, and its suitability and availability will be explored..

4.8 P1.4 The availability of land for the future expansion of Wolverton Cemetery will be explored and where available the development control process used to seek contributions from developers to fund the extension of the cemetery.

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4.9 P1.5 Where local communities identify a requirement for a local cemetery the Council will work in partnership to identify potential sites but will concentrate limited resources on the provision of strategic cemeteries serving the whole Borough and so may not have the resources to develop these further.

4.10 Currently the land set aside for burials will provide for the Borough’s requirements for around the next 20 years. (Excluding West & East Flank sites). It is impossible to accurately predict burial numbers but the current figure of around 200 internments a year is likely to rise slowly with growth and as the population ages. The changing demands for memorialisation also need to be considered, particularly the trend for cremated remains plots with headstones, mausoleums and other monuments which could lead to increased land take.

4.11 In the past graves could be reserved for 99 years by the payment of a one off fee. Cemeteries are spotted with reserved graves where the whereabouts of the owner is unknown and where in all likelihood the grave is unlikely to be used. To reduce the number of reserved graves being lost to use:-

4.12 P1.6 MKC will introduce a reservation fee that is limited to 5 years and is renewable. Ownership can not be purchased until the grave is used.

4.13 Policy Statement 2 The Council is committed to ensuring the needs of bereaved people within the whole community are given equal consideration and appreciation.

4.14 Under Article 5 (1) of The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977, a burial authority may apply to the bishop of the diocese to consecrate an area of any of its burial grounds. However, under paragraph 2 of the same Order, the authority must also retain sufficient land, which has not been consecrated or set apart for the use of particular denominations or religious bodies. Chapels may also be consecrated.

4.15 The consecration of land and chapels, which applies only to the Church of England, does not give any rights of ownership to the Church, but does however give it power over the use of this land, since it then comes under the jurisdiction of the Consistory Court (an ecclesiastical court). Article 13 of The Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 confers upon a Bishop of the Church of England the right to object to, and procuring the removal of, any inscription on a tombstone or other memorial as he has in the case of churches of the Church of England and the church yards belonging thereto. In practice, this power is normally only exercised with regards to exhumations, when a faculty (a religious permission) is required for any exhumation in addition to any license that might be required from the Ministry of Justice.

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. 4.16 With today’s multicultural society it is not the norm for Council cemeteries to be consecrated and there has been no local demand. Because of this and the restrictions and loss of control consecration imposes on the Council it is not proposed to reintroduce consecrated areas. The dedication of individual graves is commonly done instead. There are still requests however for cemeteries to be divided into sections for exclusive use of particular faiths or cultures.

4.17 MKC provides the following faith sections in the following cemeteries.

Cemetery Section Comments Whalley Drive Jewish Whalley Drive Muslim Full Wolverton Muslim Crownhill Muslim Adults Full, Children available London Road Muslim Full

4.18 P2.1 MKC will provide burial and memorial facilities laid out and maintained such that they can be used by any faith or culture or persons of no faith.

4.19 P2.2 At Selbourne Avenue, Wolverton and any future strategic cemetery, areas will be provided, within reason, for specific faith groups, or for a particular type of memorialisation such as mausoleums. These areas will be of flexible size so that as the cemetery fills unused areas can be brought in to use even if allocated but unused by a particular group.

4.20 P2.3 A resident of MK will be permitted to be buried in any MKC Cemetery with space on payment of the appropriate fee regardless of where they lived in MK. Non residents of MKC area will be required to pay an enhanced fee.

4.21 Policy Statement 3 The Council is committed to providing the opportunity for the bereaved within the community to commemorate their loved ones in an appropriate manner.

4.22 Bereaved people commemorate their loved ones in a range of ways and whilst it is essential for the council to regulate the type and size of memorials within its cemeteries it is important to allow as much freedom as possible.

4.23 Memorials and headstones can only be placed on graves where the exclusive rights of burial have been purchased and the permission of the

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Council has been obtained to place the memorial. Wooden crosses and memorial vases are permitted on non purchased graves.

4.24 There is also considerable divergence in other aspects of remembrance. Traditional churchyards have very strict rules on the memorials that are allowed and the mementoes that can be placed on a grave. Some Councils have followed this lead restricting memorials to single headstones or even flat tablets as these aid grounds maintenance. It is becoming an increasing feature particularly but not exclusively with children’s graves for them to be personalised and decorated with mementoes and personalised items with new contemporary headstone designs, kerb sets, coloured stones, with graves being decorated with solar lights and all sorts of mementoes. . Research has shown that this is an important part of the grieving process.

4.25 P3.1 Bereavement staff will take a relaxed and compassionate view to mementoes and grave personalisation provided that items pose no risk to visitors and are kept within the boundaries of the grave and are in reasonable condition.

4.26 P3.2 The Council will by the publication of cemetery rules detail the types and nature of memorials permitted in the cemeteries. The maintenance, security and safety of any memorials and mementoes in the cemetery is the responsibility of the owners of them, not the Council.

4.27 Some cultures have different requirements as to the nature of the grave. This might include brick, concrete or timber lined graves, above ground mausoleum, family plots etc. The provision of these does require areas to be provided in the cemetery for this purpose.

4.28 P3.3 MKC will allow below ground graves to be constructed in accordance with the wishes of the purchaser at additional cost where contractors can be found to build the brick, concrete or timber lined graves safely.

4.29 In addition to the placing of memorials on graves, many members of the public express a desire to commemorate the dead in other ways, either in addition to a memorial on the grave in the Council’s cemeteries or because the person in question is buried in a different town, or there is no burial place at all.

4.28 P3.4 MKC will operate memorial schemes, which enable the public to purchase a commemorative plaque associated with trees, planting schemes or other features such as wooden benches; where there are suitable locations.

4.29 The council itself ensures that the graves of servicemen killed in action and buried in war graves are maintained in the appropriate way. A small grant from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission helps in this work.

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4.30 There is a demand for above ground mausoleum by certain cultures, notably from the Italian Community. This would involve building structures each of about the size of a domestic garage within which 12 coffins could be separately enclosed on 3 tiers with memorials placed on the front. This community may also wish to build family vaults of a similar nature as well as one off above ground single coffin chambers. These structures would change the look of a cemetery.

4.31 P3.5 The Council will identify land within Selbourne Avenue cemetery where mausoleums could be accommodated. They will be provided on the basis that they are not reserved for one particular community. Construction will not start until every unit in a structure has been sold and payment received.

4.32 MKC has been approached by a faith group who wish to purchase, in advance, a number of graves for the use of their community.

4.33 P3.6 Where a faith community wishes to reserve a number of graves in a section then the five year reservation scheme will be used to maintain control.

4.34 With a young population Milton Keynes cemeteries are required to accommodate a number of child burials.

4.35 P3.7 MKC will provide children’s sections in our cemeteries.

4.36 P3.8 Because of the demand for the interment of cremated remains and for headstones to be placed on these plots MKC will provide sections within the cemeteries to accommodate this.

4.37 Policy Statement 4 The Council will seek to conserve and enhance the natural, cultural and historic features of the cemeteries as part of the heritage of the Borough

4.38 P4.1 The Council will permit the use of a range of bio-degradable coffins, shrouds and caskets for the burial of both bodies and cremated remains.

4.39 P4.2 Opportunities will continue to be taken to utilise and develop the natural landscape and history of our cemeteries.

4.40 Ousebank cemetery in Newport Pagnell is probably our most historic cemetery with graves dating back to the Civil War, containing vaults of the Taylors Mustard family and many of the local families who have had an influence on the development of the town and Borough.

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4.41 Cemeteries provide a haven for wildlife and can contribute corridors for animals passing through the urban area. They also provide natural areas relatively well protected from future development..

4.42 P4.3 `The Council will work with local stakeholders to enhance habitats and knowledge of the history of the cemeteries.

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ANNEX 1

Bletchley – Whalley Drive *

Area 11,500 m2 This cemetery is situated between Whalley Drive, Bletchley Park and St Marys Churchyard. Burial started in 1947. It is currently designated as full for new burials/graves. However it contains a Jewish section which still has capacity and a cremated remains section with future capacity. There are also grave spaces available for children’s graves. The recent demolition of a dangerous building within the cemetery has released some land which could be used in the future and the cemetery has unused reserved areas which may be useable. The cemetery also has a Muslim section which is full.

Bletchley – Selbourne Avenue

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Area 37,400m2 - Unused 26,000m2 The Councils newest cemetery situated South of and adjacent to the Bletchley Winslow-Oxford railway line in a rural area on the outskirts of the town. Part of the site was originally allotments. Phase one of the development which started in September 2005 consolidated the allotments on the site and developed the rest of the allotment site into a cemetery. An access road and car park were provided to the rest of the large site which was previously farmland but bids for capital to provide the paths; landscaping etc. to bring this into use have not proved successful. It was envisaged that as the cemetery filled the allotments would be brought into use as part of the cemetery but they have been transferred to WBTC and are well used. The second phase of this site is expected to provide capacity for about 20 years and there is the potential for further expansion of the site on to farmland to the East.

Potential to develop faith group and other sections and mausoleums.

Adults graves, children’s section and a cremated remains area are all in use within the phase one development.

Crownhill – Crematorium *

Area 91,500 m2 Opened in 1982 as gardens of remembrance for the crematorium on the site the original concept was as naturalistic landscape with no memorials. Over the years areas of the grounds have been used for burials, plots with headstones for cremated remains, and for strewing cremated remains. With a second chapel being built on the site and the need to conserve land for the disposal of cremated

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remains, burials and headstones are being phased out in favour of low key, time limited memorials, which are more sustainable.

The site has an extensive children’s section, and a Muslim section which is full for adult burials but there is still room in this section for baby’s graves.

Leased memorials for cremated remains memorialisation are available, including, memorial kerb plaques, memorial plaques by roses, and woodland memorials. Memorial tree plaques and seat/bench plaques are also always in demand but current availability is restricted due to cemetery space being developed for the second crematorium chapel. Once this development is complete then additional space for more memorialisation will be considered.

Fenny Stratford – Manor Road *

Size 20,300 m2 Burial started in 1860. This is a large Victorian cemetery which is now full for new burials. Plots for cremated remains with various memorial options are still available. There is a badly vandalised cemetery chapel which, although not listed, is of local interest. Several large Victorian memorials are in the older section of the cemetery. In the late 1950’s early 60’s some land was taken from council properties that back onto the cemetery for additional cemetery space. The children’s section is full for any new burials.

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New Bradwell/Stantonbury – Newport Road

Area 15,000 m2 Unused 1,240 m2 Burials started in 1914. Original cemetery extended in 2001 into 1.24 acres of land sold by Milton Keynes Development Corporation to MK Borough Council in 1992. There is still burial space available for adult burials, however the underlying sandstone rock within this area occasionally restricts burials depths of more than one coffin. This makes it difficult to predict how long before capacity is reached. Cremated remains sections are available with different memorial options and future capacity is planned. There is one area for children and babies burial with capacity.

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Newport Pagnell - Tickford Street

Area 17,590 m2 Unused 1,500 m2 Burial started in 1927. When the cemetery was opened several sections were set aside and Consecrated for those of Church of England Faith, with another area designated for Non-conformists, which included Roman Catholics, Baptists, Methodist and United Reform members. The older sections are now full for new graves for both adults and children. There is a large area in the older part that looks empty but is full of unmarked burials that came from the local workhouse at Renny Lodge. The cemetery was extended in 2002 into part of the Newport Pagnell Town Council allotments in a land swap deal. The first burial in the new extension took place in 2004. The extension has space for new graves for both adults and children. In the older area of the cemetery there is provision for burial plots for cremated remains including various memorial options. Future burial space is also planned for the area adjacent to the swimming pool at the front of the cemetery, and this will start to be used later this year. Due to the position of the section, near to the road and entrance, a premium price will be charged for any burials in this section.

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Newport Pagnell – Ousebank *

Area 11,600 m2 Burial started in this cemetery well before 1800. The character and memorials in this cemetery is particular special, as it is a typical Victorian cemetery full of local tradesmen and has a Grade 2 listed monument to the Taylor family. Several other monuments are of local interest and the cemetery is landscaped with a large number of very mature trees. The cemetery is full for any new burials and there are no cremated remains sections set aside in this cemetery. Children were originally buried along the riverbank edge and no memorials were erected. A memorial has been donated by a local funeral director to commemorate these unmarked children’s burials. The cemetery is on a local walkway and there are still small unused areas of the cemetery which could be used for sympathetic memorialisation for burial of cremated remains.

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Stony Stratford – Calverton Road *

Area 6,200 m2 Burials first took place in this cemetery in 1857 and the cemetery was extended in the 1930’s. The cemetery is now full for any new graves in the existing burial area. There are several areas, however, that may allow further burials. These were old landscaped areas which appear to have subsequently been cleared. Further investigation into these areas needs to take place to assess whether they are suitable for use. The the space is probably limited to approximately 10-20 full size graves. There is still space for burial of cremated remains.

Stony Stratford – London Road *

Area 7,980 m2

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Burial started in this cemetery 1911, with it being extended for further burials in the late 1970’s. There are no new adult grave spaces. Space still remains in a small children’s section and there are several choices of memorials for cremated remains burials. There is a small, but full, Muslim area in the older section and a small area set aside in the new section for the Ahmadiyya Muslim faction.

Wolverton – Woburn Avenue

Area 28,300 m2 Unused 5,200 m2 Burials started 1896. The cemetery has a cemetery chapel which is unused at present. There is a cemetery lodge which is occupied. The cemetery was extended in 2002 however burials did not start in this area until 2007. Some sections in the older area of the cemetery have being consecrated and there is a small section for Roman Catholics but this is now full for any new graves. The extension has space for new adult graves and there is a small number of childrens graves within the older section of the cemetery with space for a new child’s section in the extension when required. There is a large Muslim section for both adults and children. There are plots available for cremated remains including several different options for memorialisation. The cemetery is in an area with a large number of underground springs and the cemetery extension has a regular problem with surface water. Due to this an area of the new extension is not suitable for burial use, this restricts the future use of this cemetery as funding to install drainage is not available.

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