Harlington Parish Council is about to start on the first phase of memorial stability testing in both Lincoln Way and Westoning Road cemeteries
The Town Council will be testing memorial headstones following Health and Safety guidance issued to all cemetery authorities.
The current phase of testing will involve checking all of the headstones following the latest guidance “Managing the Safety of Burial Ground Memorials” issued by the Burials and Cemeteries Advisory Group (January 2009).
Any headstone that fails will be risk assessed to determine the best way of making it safe. Unsafe memorials near to high risk areas such as pathways will be cordoned off and if in danger of imminent collapse, may be in the worst case be laid down. Warning signs will be displayed advising cemetery users.
The testing programme is anticipated to begin in June and will start with the holding of a demonstration for the public at Westoning cemetery on the Monday morning 2nd June between 10am and 11 noon,
Should you wish any information about testing procedures, please contact Cemetery Development Services the registered testing company on 01234 740845 who will be carrying out the work. OR The Town Council Operations Manager on 01525 631920.
Harlington Parish Council