A Woodville man with three relatives buried at Stapenhill Cemetery has raised concerns over what he says is the venue “looking neglected”. It comes after families were left angry after receiving letters demanding fees for having surrounds on graves.
Nigel Thorneloe, of Sorrel Drive, said he became concerned about the state of the cemetery after visiting the grave of his mother, grandmother and uncle, who are all buried in the same plot. East Staffordshire Borough Council is responsible for the cemetery, including maintenance of the site in Stapenhill Road.
He also said that the surround around the headstone on the grave belonging to Nora and Hilda Thorneloe and Rob Rayner was damaged. However, he added that those working at the cemetery did as much as they could and he was reimbursed for the damage. A surround is usually made from wood or plastic and goes around the edge of the grave and headstone.
After reading about people tending graves there receiving letters demanding fees of £137 for tributes and surrounds around the graves from the council, the 52-year-old said he was very concerned after feeling that the area was not “tended to very well”.
He said the cemetery was good but he felt the standards of maintenance were not as good as they used to be despite the letters being sent to grieving relatives about fees if they have surrounds on graves there.
He claimed: “They need to go to France and see how they tend to the military graves there as these are a farce in comparison I feel. I never received the letter but if I had I would not be paying it. It is a shame as it is a lovely cemetery and one the best in the area, but I just feel it is being neglected. It is about taking pride in a good job. I will be keeping a keen eye on the cemetery.”
However, a spokesman for East Staffordshire Borough Council said it had received positive remarks about the maintenance of the cemetery.
He said: “The council is committed to ensuring that the grounds at Stapenhill Cemetery are well kept and maintained. Officers monitor works on a regular basis to ensure grass is cut and bins are emptied on time and if we do receive any complaints we will investigate and rectify if necessary.
“A recent survey, undertaken by Stapenhill Cemetery in 2016, showed that all respondents felt that the standard of grounds maintenance is either excellent or good.”
What the fees are all about
The upset among relatives came to light again when Rachel Harris got in touch with the Burton Mail after she was sent a letter by the borough council saying she must pay a £134 or remove tributes the family had left on the grave.
Ms Harris, of Eton Road, Horninglow, told how she was left heartbroken after her family received a letter asking her to pay the fee to keep the wooden surround, artificial grass and flowers and ornaments on the grave of her father in the cemetery.
The surround, which goes around the edge of her father's grave, does not go above ground level, but she said the council has told her that the surround made it difficult for gardeners to tend to the cemetery.
The 48-year-old, together with her family, have been carefully caring for the grave since her father died in March 2008 and have not had any problems until now.
They have been told that they could keep one ornament of comedians Laurel and Hardy, as her dad was a big fan, and the rest has to be removed or paid for, to cover the cost for the next five years.
Ms Harris is not the only person to have received a letter about a relative;s grave there. The Burton Mail has previously reported how some families have been told to pay the fee or remove surrounds, which are usually made from plastic, cement or wrought iron and go around the grave side and headstone, from around the graves and they have been to the council to try to fight it or come up with a payment plan so they can let loved ones rest in peace.
The letters say that if the fee is not paid then the council will remove the surround and seed the grave to cover it in grass.
The story prompted a strong reaction from readers online with one saying that people ready paid taxes to cover maintenance work and he felt this move was "uncaring, materialistic, bureaucratic petty nanny state which is being created even the dead cannot be allowed to rest in peace".
Another said that a 'grace period' would be a good idea. He said: "Maybe if the people affected were given six months to rectify the situation rather than being expected to magic a large sum of money out of thin air. People should be allowed the dignity to grieve how they want, I fully respect that, but if you want land in a cemetery you should expect to pay for it."
What the borough council has to say
East Staffordshire Borough Council has said: "Grave owners, under their terms and conditions, have to pay for surrounds and obtain permission for their graves to be planted out. Following an inspection at Stapenhill Cemetery, it was discovered that a small number of owners had not paid the fees and had placed surrounds on graves without consent.
"The council has been recently been in touch with these grave owners to ask that the fees are paid or that the items are removed. Stapenhill Cemetery is happy to speak to grave owners to discuss payment options and if a grave owner wishes to remove the plastic surround, the cemetery would do this and seed the grave free of charge."
