The Head of Community Services has submitted a report  in response to the fact that by circa 2021 all Oxford City Council Cemeteries will be full and closed to new burials leaving Oxford City without any new space to bury Oxford residents.  This report is to approve reclaiming grave plots potentially providing burial space for an additional two years.

Recommendations: That Cabinet resolves to:

1.     Grant project approval to the grave plot reclamation proposal as set out in this report;

2.     Agree that Wolvercote & Botley will be the first cemeteries where reclaimed graves will be made available (Botley is still open to new burials and Wolvercote has only recently closed to new burials.);

3.     Agree that graves available through grave reclamation would only be made available to Oxford City residents (residents would be classed as people paying Council tax to Oxford City Council);

4.     Agree that graves where the deeds have never been purchased and have interments (commonly known as unpurchased graves) may be sold at a lower cost; and

Agree to delegate to the Head of Community Services the ability to deal with the design and detail of the Scheme

The Head of Community Services had submitted a report  in response to the fact that by about 2021 all Oxford City Council Cemeteries will be full and closed to new burials leaving Oxford City without any new space to bury Oxford residents.  This report was to approve reclaiming grave plots, potentially providing burial space for an additional two years.

The Cabinet Member for Leisure & Housing introduced the report by thanking the officers for working up this proposal about a delicate matter in a sensitive manner. It was important to emphasise that no previous internments would be disturbed by what was being proposed. The practice had been adopted by other authorities faced by similar pressures and would provide Oxford residents with choice in the future which would otherwise be denied.

The Chair noted that pressure on space for burials within the City had a long history. She also placed on record her thanks to the officers for their sensitive handling of the matter.

It was agreed that recommendation as given in the report should be amended to reflect the fact that graves would be available to  city residents to people liable  to pay Council tax to Oxford City Council.

Cabinet resolved to:

1.     Grant project approval to the grave plot reclamation proposal as set out in this report;

2.     Agree that Wolvercote & Botley will be the first cemeteries where reclaimed graves will be made available (Botley is still open to new burials and Wolvercote has only recently closed to new burials.);

3.     Agree that graves available through grave reclamation would only be made available to Oxford City residents (residents would be classed as people liable to pay Council tax to Oxford City Council);

4.     Agree that graves where the deeds have never been purchased and have interments (commonly known as unpurchased graves) may be sold at a lower cost; and

5.     Agree to delegate to the Head of Community Services the ability to deal with the design and detail of the Scheme.