Newcastle City Council is preparing a fresh round of safety inspections at four cemeteries, aiming to avoid a repeat of the upset caused when hundreds of headstones were laid flat in 2023. The council was previously accused of “crass and insensitive” behaviour after it laid down more than 2,300 memorials between June 2023 and September 2024, including at Heaton, Jesmond, and West Road cemeteries. The action followed inspections that deemed the headstones at risk of collapsing, prompted by a tragic incident in Glasgow in 2015 where a falling headstone killed an eight-year-old boy.
New Inspections Planned
The upcoming checks will focus on gravestones over two feet tall at Elswick, Lemington, All Saints, and Hollywood cemeteries. Officials will use wooden stakes and bands to stabilize any headstones needing repairs, and notices will be placed on affected memorials asking plot holders to contact the council’s bereavement service. The council stated that staff would seek to avoid laying down any memorials, but could not rule it out entirely if deemed the safest option in extreme cases.
Council’s Commitment to Sensitivity
Lib Dem councillor Peter Lovatt, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local services, said: “We know how important and personal the final resting place of a loved one is to people, and we’re keen to make sure residents can pay their respects safely across our cemeteries. In the past, seeing gravestones laid down in our city’s cemeteries has led to residents raising concerns and we understand it can be upsetting for families.” He added: “We make every possible attempt to contact next of kin but unfortunately that is not always possible, with some of the gravestones being over 100-years-old. National legislation on this matter is clear and there have been some tragic cases elsewhere in the country that show the importance of these inspections.”
Duty of Care
Lovatt emphasized the council’s duty of care to all visitors and staff, stating: “We have a duty of care to all visitors, as well as our colleagues who tend to these sites, and if such a tragedy took place in our cemeteries questions would be asked. That is why we are carrying out these important inspections and taking the necessary action should any headstones need to be repaired. We want to reassure residents that our staff are highly trained and the inspections will be carried out with the greatest respect and sensitivity.”
Contact Information for Plot Holders
The council has urged anyone who owns a headstone in one of Newcastle’s cemeteries to ensure that the local authority has up-to-date contact information for them, by calling 0191 211 6941 or emailing memorialsafety@newcastle.gov.uk.
