Will Christmas peace break out over graves?

COUNCIL JUST DAYS AWAY FROM CEMETERY TRIBUTES DECISION

- By LAUREN MONAGHAN

A ONE-METRE rule for memorial items at Broxtowe cemeteries could soon be introduced - but bereaved families want more freedom for “older” graves.

Broxtowe Borough Council faced a backlash and protests last year when bereaved families launched a petition in response to a cabinet decision forcing tribute items to be removed from graves.

At the time, Chilwell Cemetery was the first of five borough-owned cemeteries that ordered maintenance teams to remove and dispose of tributes from January this year.

The council's reasoning was that, due to maintenance difficulties, health and safety rules which already existed had not always been enforced.

Council papers show that cemetery rules from 2019 and 2023 both mention the same prohibited items.

Bereaved families previously said the authority only updated the “notice of interment” forms that families sign to mention prohibited grave items such as fencing, bedding plants, vases, windmills, glass and alcohol, in 2023, leading to confusion around rules.

Following the controversy, council leader Councillor Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance) called a 12-month suspension on rules, setting up a working group with worried families to find a “common sense” approach.