Families ‘disheartened’ at proposed council rejection of grave tribute item rules
Josh Collins' grave in Beeston Cemetery - his mother, Lindsey, upkeeps his grave and has been
By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
New cemetery rules allowing more freedom with grave tribute items in Broxtowe could be rejected despite previous pledges by the council.
A petition started by Broxtowe families impacted by council cemetery tribute item rules – called Save our Cemetery Gardens and Memorials – gained nearly 1,000 signatures in its first week last October.
This was in response to a Broxtowe Borough Council cabinet decision in July 2024, leading to “unofficial surrounds” being removed from graves in the borough’s cemeteries.
This was starting with a January 2025 deadline for Chilwell Cemetery.
The council’s reasons for this were based on maintenance difficulties, health and safety and because the rules already existed.
Cabinet documents from 2009 confirm the rules were in place since then, but the bereavement service only updated its ‘Notice of Internment’ forms in 2023 to list prohibited items.
The 2023 form prohibits items such as fencing, kerbing, bedding plants, vases, windmills, glass and alcohol from being placed on actual grave space in the lawn and cremated remains area.
The controversy led to the council’s leader, Cllr Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance), calling a 12-month suspension on the rules in October 2024.
This was to create a collaborative working group between impacted families and the council – and to find a “common sense” approach.
Since then, updated, collaborative rules have been developed and these proposals were finalised in March 2025.
They will be discussed in the council’s cabinet meeting next Tuesday (June 3).
Proposals include those with existing grave plots – purchased before August 2023 – with existing decorations and memorial gardens remaining as they are, in line with health and safety rules.
Proposals acknowledge hazardous items would have to be removed – even from graves bought prior to August 2023.
If the collaborative rules were approved, they would also allow grave plots purchased after August 2023 to have tribute items within 2.5 feet from the front edge of the headstone plinth.
But council papers by the bereavement service released ahead of next week’s meeting show a rejection of these rules, citing some are ‘not acceptable’.
One document reads: “The Council has inadvertently weakened its own position by granting a 12-month extension for the removal of decorative items and memorial trinkets despite clear, ongoing well-documented health, safety and accessibility risks associated with them.”
The service says it has received reports from people with visual impairments and physical disabilities who feel disadvantaged and obstructed by decorative items and fencing.
Its documents also note the safety risks with shattered glass or plastic for cemetery staff and how grave decorations restrict staff and machinery, along with low-lying items being hidden trip hazards for people.
Impacted and bereaved families involved have called the bereavement service’s reports “disheartening” in a joint statement.
They said the group was due to receive all reports regarding the matter before they were made public, but this “wasn’t done”.
They said: “We are disappointed with how things have been handled, but remain firm on our stance and will continue to push for council support on the original compromises and proposals agreed.
“It’s been extremely disheartening to have our trust broken by [the bereavement service], who should be more professional and sensitive at the very least.
“We have all suffered so much emotional and mental distress since October, we are just ready for closure on all of this.
“We have done everything asked of us, and have worked for months as part of a working group as agreed within the 12-month suspension.”
The group called the proposed rejection of the new rules “hurtful”, saying the service has “disregarded” the collaborative work.
The families say they have requested that report amendments be put forward for next week’s meeting and have called for the reports to be rejected by the cabinet.
A council spokesperson said: “A number of departments have been involved in producing the report, not one individual officer.
“We understand our Democratic Services Team have spoken with one of the families and advised them how our Cabinet system works.
“The report makes recommendations which will be debated at the meeting before a decision is taken. They are also free to lobby their local Councillor with their views on the matter to inform their decision-making process if they wish.”
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