26th June 2026 Burial Ground Committee Agenda
Minutes of the Barrowby Parish Council Staffing Committee Meeting held on Friday 26th June 2026 at the Pavilion, Low Road, Barrowby at 11am
In attendance:
Cllrs: M Brown, P Brown, Footitt, Lees, McConnoll-Good.
Officer in attendance:
Claire Vink (Parish Clerk)
PUBLIC FORUM: No members of the public were present. Meeting started 11.10am
1. ELECTION OF CHAIR (26/001)
Cllr Tim Lees was unanimously elected as Chair
2. WELCOME REMARKS (26/002)
The Chair welcomed members to the meeting.
3. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE & REASONS GIVEN (26/003)
No apologies received. Cllr Cupit was absent.
4. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LOCALISM ACT 2011 (26/004)
None received
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (26/005)
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Burial Ground Committee meeting held on 13th March 2026.
6. BURIAL GROUND MATTERS ARISING (26/006)
a) A verbal update on the activity at the Burial Ground was received.
b) Due to the weather, minimal grounds maintenance has taken place. Cllrs M Brown, P Brown and Lees to soil infill and reseeding when appropriate. It was noted that there is a large rose growing at plot W7. This will be pruned and the grant holder written to discuss relocation.
c) Quotes received by N Barker:
a. Burial Ground Gate Post replacement. RESOLVED to approve quote
b. Investingations. RESOLVED to approve quote
c. Bench slab to re-site old bench from Reading Room. Paused. There is a damaged memorial bench at the burial ground. Depending on what the family decide to do will determine where this bench will be located. Action: Clerk to contact family to discuss options: replacement or removal.
d. Fixing the fence: Other options to be looked into. Currently there is not the budget to progress this work. ACTION Cllr Lees to speak to RAGS about options such as hedge. Cllr Lees to meet with N Barker to consider other options.
d) The Committee considered the quote received from Memsafe Ltd to repair and make safe the insecure memorial. It was resolved to approve the work at a cost of £240.00 including VAT, subject to the Exclusive Right of Burial grant holder paying the full cost to the Parish Council in advance of the work being carried out. The Clerk was authorised to liaise with the grant holder and Memsafe Ltd to make the necessary arrangements.
e) The Committee received and considered the report following burial ground training attended by the Clerk.
a. It was RESOLVED that attendance by a representative of the Council at burials and interments should be adopted as best practice, where practical. The Clerk is to speak with local funeral directors to determine how this would work in practice. The suggested procedure is that the Clerk or a member of the Burial Ground Committee would attend at the Lych Gate, meet the hearse, and, before the coffin is removed, check that the name on the coffin nameplate corresponds with the Council’s paperwork. The attending representative would complete and sign a short interment attendance form, to be prepared by the Clerk.
b. It was RESOLVED to recommend to Full Council that the Council adopts the following structure for Exclusive Rights of Burial:
i. advance purchase/reservation of a grave: a short-term Exclusive Right of Burial of 10 years, to reserve the plot before it is needed;
ii. purchase at the point of interment: a long-term Exclusive Right of Burial of 50 years from the date of first interment;
iii. pre-purchased plot later used for interment: an option, at the point of first interment, to extend or reset the Exclusive Right of Burial so that the family has a full 50-year grant from the date of first interment, with the cost to be the same as a 10-year extension; and
iv. extensions after the grant term, whether short or long, to continue to be offered in 10-year periods, subject to the Council’s fees and regulations in force at the time.
c. It was noted that the Clerk has spoken at length with the grave digger regarding safe grave excavation practices. The grave digger has confirmed that he has shoring available and uses it at his discretion depending on ground conditions. He will provide his risk assessments, working policies/procedures and evidence of public liability insurance for the Council’s records.
d. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk should explore the costs and working practices of using Scribe Cemetery for burial ground records, including how records would be backed up and protected. A further report is to be brought forward for consideration, with any recommendation to proceed being referred to Full Council for approval.
f) Consecration of the Burial Ground was discussed. A clear boundary of exactly where the consecrated ground lies to be determined by the Clerk. Action: Clerk to contact Diocese to determine boundary. To be added to next agenda
g) Members considered the request for interment of out of parish ashes. It was RESOLVED to approve the interment of ashes in this instance, having noted the clear and current links to Barrowby demonstrated in the case. It was further agreed that the Council’s approach to exceptional circumstances should be reviewed and clarified for future applications.
h) Members considered the Council’s approach to non-resident applications for interment and Exclusive Right of Burial. It was RESOLVED that an Exceptional Circumstances Policy be prepared to clarify the Council’s approach and support consistency in future decision-making, with any review of previous comparable applications to be considered thereafter.
i) Correspondence relating to the burial ground was NOTED
7. GARDEN OF REFLECTION
Members considered the possibility of establishing a Garden of Reflection within Barrowby and were supportive in principle. It was agreed that grant funding opportunities should be explored to support the project. Members supported the idea of incorporating a memorial tree and a stone monolith commemorating fallen heroes, together with a QR code linking to further information, such as names and details about the church war memorial. Members noted that identifying a suitable location may be difficult, and that SKDC land is not currently considered an option. Possible locations discussed included approaching the Newton family regarding land off Church Street towards the fields, exploring a potential joint venture with the church in relation to the Diocese-owned land on Church Street, and considering whether there may be any suitable space at the Adam Styles play park. Action: Clerk to speak with the different parties regarding any potential opportunity.
8. CAPTURE OF FUTURE ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION / AGENDA ITEMS (26/007)
Review of budget requirements for 2026/27
Review Exceptional circumstances policy
9. DATE OF NEXT MEETING (26/008) Provisionally set for 25th September 2026 10am in the Pavilion
Meeting closed 12.30pm