Memorial Inspections
Fareham Borough Council is a Burial Authority and is responsible for the protection and safety of all cemetery users under the Health and Safety Act 1974.
The Council has a programme of memorial inspections at the following Cemeteries and Churchyards:
- Wickham Road Cemetery, Wickham Road, Fareham
- Crofton Cemetery, Oakcroft Lane, Stubbington
- Roman Grove Cemetery, Castle View Road, Portchester
- Posbrook Lane Cemetery, Posbrook Lane, Titchfield
- St Johns Cemetery, St Johns Road, Locks Heath
- St Paul’s Cemetery and new burial ground, Barnes Lane, Sarisbury
- Holly Hill Cemetery, Barnes Lane, Sarisbury
- St Peter’s new Burial ground, Titchfield
Open space leased by Fareham Borough Council from the Church:
- Part of St Mary’s Churchyard, Portchester Castle, Portchester
Closed Churchyards in Conservation areas and listed tombstones
- St Peter and St Paul’s Churchyard, Osborn Road, Fareham
- St Peter’s Churchyard, Titchfield
Inspections of the memorials at the above sites are scheduled to take place every 5 years (commencing on 24 April 2006) and will be carried out by a trained inspector who will assess the stability of the memorials.
Inspections will be carried out:-
- Visually, all structural defects to be assessed and recorded
- Using hand pressure up to approximately 25 kg
- Using a memorial stability tester, applying a force of 35 kg or as determined by the current regulations and standard, only if the memorial has been demonstrated as unstable by the manual method.
Comprehensive details about each memorial will be recorded, including failure force as appropriate. A digital photograph of memorials dilapidated, in disrepair and unstable will be taken as a permanent record of their condition. The memorial stability tester will not be used to test box tombs in Churchyards.
Memorials failing the test, will be temporarily secured or laid flat. Notices will be attached to these memorials giving an explanation for the emergency action and advising the public to contact Fareham Borough Council. If this is not possible, dangerous structures will cordoned or fenced off and a danger warning sign placed in the vicinity.
Fareham Borough Council will take reasonable steps to contact memorial owners within 28 days of emergency actions being taken.
It is the responsibility of memorial owners to undertake the necessary repairs to memorials or arrange the reinstatement of the memorials which have been laid flat. A Memorial Mason registered with the Council must be appointed to undertake this work and a memorial application submitted to the Council.
The next inspections are scheduled in St Peter and St Paul's Churchyard, Fareham and in St Mary's Churchyard open space in August 2008. Inspections will also take place in Wickham Road Cemetery, Fareham at the end of September 2008.
Should you require any further information on cemeteries in Fareham, please contact Customer Services on Tel: 01329 236100 or e-mail customerservices@fareham.gov.uk.
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