Cemetery rules and regulations - Conditions regulating burials

Conditions regulating burials

10. Burials times are arranged on Monday to Friday (excluding Bank holidays) between the hours of 9.15am – 1:30pm. 

Ashes interments are arranged on Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:15am – 1:45pm.

The time arranged for a committal, graveside or ashes burial service is the time when the cortege should be at the graveside. We allow up to 45 minutes for the complete service. 

11. The burial authority may, from time to time, need to make certain burial times unavailable because of operational issues.

12. The burial certificate or order must be received by the bereavement’s office a minimum of 2 full working days prior to the funeral taking place. Failure to provide this document may result in delays or the cancellation of the funeral.

13. The location of each new burial plot will be allocated by the burial authority. Where a new burial plot is required (i.e. the burial will not be in an existing, purchased plot) all reasonably practicable efforts will be made to accommodate the last wishes of the deceased and the preferences of bereaved families. The final decision on the allocation and use of any new burial plot rests with the burial authority. Our standard grave width and length will accommodate traditional shaped coffins to a maximum size of: 6’10” long x 2’6” wide x 1’3” deep, including handles.

If a larger or outsized coffin or casket is required for a future reopen of an existing grave, there may be issues with the allocated space. This is because the plot has previously been prepared to accommodate a standard size coffin. In these instances, we may not be able to accommodate the wishes of the family. On occasions, alternative burial arrangements may be necessary, which could include burial in an alternative location.

14. Those families requiring interments to be in a designated faith section should make their wishes clear to their funeral director. Such requests will be accommodated subject to sufficient space being available in the appropriate section. The council takes advice from religious faith groups regarding interments within the designated sections. However, no third party has the right to preclude a burial within any burial section.

15. Persons who are authorised by the burial authority will ensure the back filling of any graves as necessary. However, in the event of relatives and friends wishing to do so, this will be permitted at the discretion of the funeral director and with a minimum of 48 hours prior notice to the burial authority. The funeral director will be responsible for all arrangements, including risk assessments, relating to any additional activities at graveside.

16. No burial will be permitted on Sundays or public holidays. Burials on Saturdays will only occur with the prior approval of the burial authority and subject to staff availability.

17. Funeral directors must arrange, where necessary, for memorials to be removed from the grave to allow graves to be reopened, within 48 hours of the request for interment.  

The memorial shall subsequently be dealt with in accordance with the directions of the burial authority. Responsibility for any memorial removed in error will remain with the funeral director at whose expense the memorial will be reinstated to the satisfaction of the Exclusive Rights To Burial Holder.

18. Reinstatement of headstone memorials following an interment is not permitted for at least a period of six months, to allow for settlement of the plot.  After this time the instruction of the Exclusive Rights To Burial Holder to the funeral director or monumental mason may be carried out.

19. All graves within the cemeteries will be excavated, without exception, by authorised contractors of the burial authority. Graves will be excavated to the depth and size instructed by the burial authority.

20. Floral tributes that are placed on the grave after a funeral should be removed when the tributes are seen to be decaying. If these are not removed by the owner, the burial authority may arrange for them to be disposed of.

21. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for the soil that is excavated from a grave being prepared for an interment to be laid onto an adjacent grave. The burial authority will ensure that this is for the shortest time possible and any adjacent grave affected will be protected by boards on the grave and in front of any headstone. This will only occur if the soil cannot reasonably be placed elsewhere and after the funeral any affected grave will be fully reinstated.

22. In some cases, for cultural, religious or public health reasons, there may be a request for a burial to take place at short notice. In such circumstances the burial authority will make reasonable efforts to arrange the burial within the specified period, however, as these situations are exceptional, no guarantee can be provided. The scheduling of any funeral is always at the discretion of the burial authority.

23. All bodies must be prepared for interment before being brought to the cemetery.

24. No coffin/container will be accepted at a cemetery unless the name of the deceased therein is clearly shown.

25. The identity shown on the coffin/container will be verified to the council’s officer in attendance at the funeral by the funeral director at each burial service.

26. After the coffin/container and body have been committed into the grave they shall not be removed or otherwise disturbed except for lawful exhumation by licence and or faculty or by the order of the coroner.

27. Following the interment of cremated remains on the Rosary Cemetery, the burial authority will cover cremated plots with white stone chippings. Any other style of chippings or flora is not permitted, and the burial authority will remove any unauthorised covering.

28. Coffins must be used to transport the deceased to the cemeteries. Shroud interments are permitted within designated areas, please contact bereavement services for more information prior to booking an interment to discuss your requirements.