Haxby Town Council jointly operates Haxby and Wigginton Cemetery with Wigginton Parish Council. A joint cemetery committee of councillors from both councils oversees the cemetery’s operation.
Haxby Town Council has resolved to issue a public apology regarding the recent ‘topple testing’ of headstones as it fully appreciates the sensitive nature of this matter.
The cemetery committee has a statutory duty to ensure the cemetery is safe for visitors and as such periodic topple testing of headstones must take place. If any headstones are deemed to be unsafe they must be laid down. The topple testing is conducted by a competent professional contractor.
On this occasion, Haxby Town Council accepts that the communication with residents and headstone owners about the topple testing should have been better and for that it sincerely apologises.
The cemetery committee has been without a clerk for some time hence the routine administration of cemetery matters has relied upon the volunteering (and unpaid) services of councillors. Please be assured that lessons have been learned and as such the communication will in future be much improved.
The cemetery committee has considered paying for the reinstatement of all the toppled headstones and as such it has taken professional advice on this matter. In accordance with that advice, the cemetery committee decided to recommend paying for the reinstatement of the toppled headstones to each of the participating councils, i.e. Haxby Town Council and Wigginton Parish Council.
Therefore, Haxby Town Council will consider the cemetery committee’s recommendation at the next full council meeting on 11 December.
Haxby Town Council, 20 November 2023
Published: 20/11/2023 Published by: Haxby Town Council
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