Church in Wales Calls for Councils to Fund Disused Graveyard Maintenance

The Church in Wales has stated that local councils should assume responsibility for the care and maintenance of disused, older graveyards. The organization cautioned that the upkeep of these sites is becoming increasingly difficult due to declining congregation numbers and reduced donations. Concurrently, the Law Commission has initiated a consultation to explore solutions for the scarcity of burial space and potential future uses for existing old sites. The body representing Welsh councils indicated that any legislative alteration transferring this responsibility would necessitate “full and sustainable funding,” given the financial challenges councils are experiencing, with some even facing potential bankruptcy. The Tansygafell Cemetery in Bethesda, Gwynedd, located behind a barrier of trees and bushes, is described as nearly entirely reclaimed by nature. Many graves are now obscured by moss, trees, bushes, and soil, rendering some headstones illegible. The Reverend Sara Roberts, chaplain for Bro Ogwen, emphasized the necessity of safeguarding locations such as this. Reverend Sara Roberts explained, “When a church closes and a cemetery is full, it’s not possible to get more money by doing more burials.” She further elaborated, “The costs remain the same but the money coming in has gone.” She characterized the state of the site as “quite sad,” adding, “If someone was trying to find their family’s grave, they would have a hard time reading this.” She concluded, “You’d have to scrape off the moss to see the details.” Existing legislation governing burial and cremation in Wales and England, some of which dates back over 170 years, is currently under review by the Law Commission for modernization. Among the proposed solutions to address the shortage of burial space are the reuse of old graves and the reopening of previously closed burial grounds. The Church in Wales reiterated its concern that a decrease in donations has diminished its capacity to maintain numerous old cemeteries that are falling into disrepair. Alex Glanville, director of property strategy, stated that this has constituted “a heavy and unfair burden for churches for many years.” Explaining the distinction from the situation in England, he further noted: “It’s the only denomination in Wales (Church in Wales) that has an obligation to bury all parishioners, without discrimination – a similar duty to the Church of England.” He continued, “However, we do not have the equivalent power to transfer maintenance of closed burial groups to local authorities.” The 22 councils across Wales currently bear the responsibility for all cemeteries that are actively in use. For instance, Flintshire council oversees the maintenance of over 20,000 gravestones and memorials of diverse forms and dimensions, each inspected every three years. The cost of repairing hundreds of these requiring remedial work amounts to thousands of pounds for the local authority. This period is marked by financial strain for local authorities, many of whom are struggling to sustain essential services. Dave Hughes, leader of Flintshire council, cautioned that his authority faces a risk of bankruptcy, a predicament shared by numerous Welsh councils. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), which represents Wales’ 22 councils, stated that it “recognised the importance of maintaining community cemeteries.” However, it further commented: “Councils are already under significant financial pressure.” The WLGA emphasized that “Any proposals to transfer additional responsibilities, such as the maintenance of closed cemeteries, must be accompanied by full and sustainable funding to ensure that it can councils to carry out these duties without affecting other essential services.” Prof Nick Hopkins of the Law Commission remarked: “Our proposals provide a significant opportunity to reform burial and cremation law and secure burial space for future generations.” He noted that this issue is not devolved and is being examined for sites throughout Wales and England. Alex Davies-Jones, Ministry of Justice Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, urged the public to participate in the consultation. The Pontypridd MP stated, “We await with interest the Law Commission’s recommendations, in due course, on the most appropriate framework to provide modern, consistent regulation for burial and cremation.” The consultation period is scheduled to conclude on 9 January 2025.