Mother welcomes plan to change grave decoration rule

A campaigner has welcomed new proposals for decorating graves in part of Nottinghamshire after an outcry last year.

In October, Lindsey Collins - whose son Josh is buried in Beeston Cemetery - said she was "heartbroken" when Broxtowe District Council said it was going to remove "unofficial grave surrounds".

A petition against the move attracted hundreds of signatures and now the authority has said it will look at a potential relaxing of the rules.

Ms Collins said she was grateful families had been listened to.

Families said they first became aware of the issue when notices appeared in cemeteries, giving a deadline for ornaments to be removed.

It transpired the regulations had been in place for some time but "maintenance difficulties and health and safety issues" had prompted the council to enforce them.

At the time, Ms Collins said the move had led her to considering exhuming her son's remains.

Now an updated set of rules will be considered at the authority's next cabinet meeting following the local elections.

These say plots purchased before August 2023 can keep additions as long as they are in line with health and safety rules.

This would mean items such as alcohol, metal or spike fencing, large plants and glass, would still have to be removed.

Graves bought after August 2023 would be allowed to have tribute items within 2.5ft (76cm) from the front of the headstone plinth.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), council leader Milan Radulovic said he was "strongly in favour" of the proposals.

He said: "The work [the families] have done is terrific, well thought through and it's respectful and allows that freedom to express grief in a personal way, and shouldn't interfere with the general workings of the cemeteries - particularly with health and safety."

Ms Collins, whose son died in 2021 at the age of 19, said: "I'm feeling loads better than what I was in October - I was mortified, thinking this is the end for us all with [memorial] gardens. It's good the council have put the time in to listen to us."

She added she was still "wary", as the rules had not been formally approved yet, but was "grateful" the families had been listened to.

She said: "I always try stand up for what I believe in - unless you've been through what we've been through yourself, you won't appreciate the small things is all you've got left, these gardens, the things you put on them.

"I just feel so happy I've been able to help people, given them that bit of peace back."

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