The Council manages cemeteries in Bexhill and Rye and is responsible for the grounds maintenance of closed churchyards in Bexhill, Rye and Ticehurst.

In managing and maintaining these cemeteries and churchyards, the Council has a statutory responsibility under Health and Safety legislation to oversee the safety of all visitors to these cemeteries and churchyards. The Council is also required to assess the risk from all the cemeteries and maintained churchyard memorials to deal with risk management.

This notice is intended to inform you that the Council have arranged for a memorial safety inspection survey consisting of a nationally recognised hand test to cover:

Bexhill Cemetery

Rye Cemetery

St Marks Churchyard (Bexhill-on-Sea)

St Peters Churchyard (Bexhill-on-Sea)

St Mary's Churchyard (Rye)

St Mary's Churchyard (Ticehurst)

The survey will commence from 29 September 2003 and is expected to be completed by early 2004.

The Council have commissioned an experienced qualified consultant who, together with a Rother District Council Officer trained in memorial management, will carry out this exercise.

Notice is hereby given that any memorials deemed as a result of inspection to be unsafe and an immediate danger will be made safe by lowering them to the ground by trained personnel. Owners of the affected graves will be notified in writing at their address registered with the Council and also through notice boards on site.

Your attention is drawn to the Rother District Council Cemetery Regulations 105 and 107 which state:-

"105. Every memorial and every grave space shall be kept clean and in go9do repair, order and safe condition by the owner or owners thereof; if on default by the owners then after 14 days notice in writing has been sent by recorded delivery post to the registered owner or owners at his or their registered address, the same shall be absolutely and unconditionally forfeited to the Council, who may take possession thereof and remove any such memorials in the interest of public safety. Existing mounds in any part of the Cemetery may be removed by the Proper Officer if not kept in decent and proper condition.

107. Under the provisions of the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (LACO) Article 3 the Council is empowered to take immediate action to make safe dangerous memorials. Where a memorial is found to be an immediate danger to the public or Cemetery staff it will be laid down within the grave space and the registered owners will be instructed to re-fix the memorial at their own expense."

It would be appreciated if all owners of graves in the afore-mentioned Cemeteries and Churchyards could ensure their memorials are in a safe and stable condition at all times. If memorials are found to be defective grave owners should only consult and employ a registered monumental mason to remedy a defective memorial.

Should anyone have any concerns or queries regarding this survey please contact the Cemeteries Officer, Mr C Godfrey, Tel: 01424 787523, Services Directorate, 14 Beeching Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex TN39 3LG.

Date: 18/09/2003