A brief overview of what is required of memorial masons
Aylesbury Town Council’s Memorial Mason Registration Scheme aims to establish a uniform standard of workmanship and working practices in Tring Road Cemetery. The scheme addresses the standards required for the installation, repair and maintenance of memorials, both new and existing, insurance cover, health and safety requirements and administrative requirements with a view to producing a common approach under the Council’s management. Through adoption of this scheme it is the intention to identify and promote the best practice of the industry by all registered participants.
Only masons registered with Aylesbury Town Council’s Memorial Mason Scheme are permitted to submit Memorial Applications or work in Tring Road Cemetery, Aylesbury.
The following procedure applies to all memorial masons registered to work in Tring Road Cemetery, Aylesbury. These procedures indicate the rules that apply to memorial masons, together with the penalties expected if these rules are breached.
Aylesbury Town Council continually carry out audits on the current condition of memorials within the cemetery. The survey will identify memorials that require attention to meet Health and Safety requirements and also establish a routine inspection procedure to ensure that the future condition of memorials are monitored. The registration scheme supports this initiative by ensuring that memorial masons working within Tring Road Cemetery operate to the highest standards of workmanship and competence. The establishment of this scheme promotes a partnership that encourages formal and informal communication, long-term working relationships, innovation and development initiatives between all registered parties. The Council’s ultimate objectives are to ensure that the cemetery meet all Health and Safety standards and are safe environments for visitors and staff.
The scheme is available to Memorial Masons who intend to work, within Tring Road Cemetery on completion of the relevant application form and have submitted all documentation required.
Memorial Masons not registered under this scheme will not be permitted to work within Tring Road Cemetery, Aylesbury.
The scheme is administered by Aylesbury Town Council and its staff. To apply for registration please contact the office on 01296 425678 and ask to speak to the Cemetery Officer.
Requirements of the Scheme
ll registered participants to the scheme are expected and obliged to adhere to the following basic requirements. These are the minimum acceptable requirements of Aylesbury Town Council and may be updated from time to time.
Eligibility
Memorial masons who have been barred from performing work in Tring Road Cemetery, whether in Tring Road Cemetery, Aylesbury or elsewhere, within the previous Two Years (2 years) are ineligible to join the scheme. In these instances, each case will be considered individually, and membership offered, or withheld, at the discretion of the Burial Authority. Memorial masons must submit details of such disciplinary actions with their application to join the scheme. Failure to disclose details of disciplinary actions, which subsequently come to the attention of Bereavement Services, may result in the immediate expulsion from the Registration Scheme and the imposition of an immediate ban on working within Tring Road Cemetery for a period of Two Years (2 years).
Insurance Requirements
Every participant on the Registration Scheme must be insured for Public Liability to the value of Five Million Pounds (£5,000,000) for any one incident and Employer’s Liability to the value of Ten Million Pounds (£10,000,000).
Workmanship, Materials and Construction
Every participant shall guarantee each individual memorial in respect of safety and stability for a period of no less than 15 years. Grave owners will be advised of this guarantee, future inspection of the memorial and their responsibilities to maintain the memorial to a reasonable standard.
All memorial masons registering with the scheme must be able to demonstrate an acceptable standard of workmanship. Memorial masons and their staff shall be suitably qualified, experienced and competent to perform all works necessary when erecting, dismantling and repairing memorials to meet current industry standards and statutory Health and Safety requirements and guidelines. Memorial masons are also required to be registered with BRAMM or NAMM.
Registration Scheme Compliance
Each participant who signs the ‘Agreement to the Memorial Mason Registration Scheme’ included in these documents, will be deemed to have agreed to comply with the following:
- Local Authority Cemetery Order 1977
- NAMM Code of Working Practice (Latest Relevant Edition)
- BRAMM Blue Book (Latest Relevant Edition) (to be added)
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Aylesbury Town Council’s Memorial Masons Registration Scheme
- All other relevant statutory requirements
Penalties
Stage 1
Any breach* of the Memorial Masons Registration Scheme or Section 9 of the Cemetery Regulations will result in a first written warning, issued to the memorial mason concerned. This will remain on record for a period of 12 months. Assuming the breach is corrected and no further breach of the rules occurs during this time, the warning will be removed from the records.
Stage 2
If, during the course of the 12-month period there is a further breach of the Memorial Masons Registration Scheme or Cemetery Regulations, a final written warning will be issued, this will remain on record for a period of three years. Assuming the breach is corrected and if no further breach of the rules occurs during this time, the warning will be removed from the records.
Stage 3
If, during the course of the three years following the final written warning, there is a further breach of the Memorial Masons Registration Scheme or Cemetery Regulations, the memorial mason concerned will be forbidden to carry out any work within the Council’s Cemetery for an undetermined period of time. Their return shall be by application to the Burial Authority following a minimum period of two years.
*Breaches constitute submitting memorial applications for memorials which do not comply with the maximum dimensions outlined in the cemetery regulations, undertaking work without a permit, not complying with any of the rules of the scheme.
Gross Misconduct
Certain circumstances shall be considered as gross misconduct, which will result in the memorial mason being immediately banned from the Council’s Cemetery. Their return shall be by application to the Burial Authority following a minimum period of two years.
Examples of Gross Misconduct
Installation of a memorial that had not been approved by the Burial Authority.
Refusal to correct an error in the installation of a memorial, when notified by the Cemetery Officer or the Town Clerk.
Abusive or aggressive behaviour to council employees, members of the general public or other contractors.
Appeals Procedure
There will be instances where applications to the scheme are rejected and where monumental masons are removed from the Registration Scheme.
Your application will be rejected if you cannot fulfil the pre-set criteria assessed. You must therefore ensure you complete the application form, provide all the information required and seek advice and guidance on any matters you are unsure of.
On receipt of the completed memorial masons registration scheme application, the form will be checked and assessed. Access the Memorial Masons Registration application form.
Applications will either be approved, deferred or rejected and you will be notified in writing of the decision and, if rejected, the reason for this. An appeal must be lodged in writing within 14 days of notification stating why you feel that the rejection is unjustified. There are a number of matters relating to the Registration Scheme which would not normally be reconsidered. These are:
- Failure to provide adequate health and safety
- Failure to provide adequate insurance cover
It is unlikely that a rejection based upon one or more of these factors would be reversed without further supporting evidence.
Any memorial mason unhappy at the decision taken against them, will be entitled to appeal against the decision by placing their appeal in writing, addressed to Town Clerk, Aylesbury Town Council, Town Hall, 5 Church Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP20 2QP
An oral hearing will then be arranged at which stage the mason may present his/her case. All appeals will be considered in the light of any further evidence submitted. If the rejection is confirmed you will be informed in writing and no further appeal will be considered.
Procedures for the Erection of Memorials
All memorials installed by the participants of this scheme must fully comply with Section 9 the Council’s Cemetery Regulations, administration and operational procedures.
Application to Erect a Memorial
All applications for installations within Tring Road Cemetery must first have received prior approval by Cemetery Officers. The memorial mason will ensure that every effort is made to fix the memorial around any services which may be taking place within the cemetery. They must first check with Cemetery Officers to ensure they are not disrupting any service being held on the day for any works.
No works whatsoever shall commence until a permit has been received. The permit must be produced if requested by a member of the cemetery staff. If a permit cannot be produced, you will not be allowed entry into the cemetery until a permit can be produced.
Memorial applications should be submitted to the following address:
Aylesbury Town Council, Town Hall, 5 Church Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP20 2QP or sent by email to [email protected].
All applications must be submitted on the appropriate Memorial Application Form and will detail the following:
- Name and Address of Memorial Mason
- Section and Grave Number
- Grave Owner(s) Details
- Memorial Details:
- Materials used
- Size*
- Fixing Methods
- Proposed inscription
- Sketch of Memorial
*The overall size of the memorial, including the base, (and concrete landing, if not flush with the ground), must comply with the Council’s Cemetery Regulations.
Please note incomplete memorial applications, not including clear detailed sizes, or grave section including number, method of fixing or grave owner signature(s) will be returned and cause unnecessary delay.
Re-erection/Additional Work to Memorials
Memorials must not be erected, nor shall any additional work be carried out to the memorial (including renovation work), unless a Memorial Application has been approved. The Burial Authority may wish to periodically monitor the work of the memorial mason and, if so, a suitable appointment will be made with the mason to inspect fixings etc.
All memorials shall be erected to conform to the most recent editions of the NAMM’s recommended Code of Working Practice and BRAMM’s Blue Book.
Following the erection of a memorial it should be noted that this will be subject to inspection at least every Five Years (5 years) to ensure Health and Safety requirements are met. Memorial masons should take this into consideration in their Guarantee. The Guarantee should include all joints that fail during the period of the Guarantee. All joints shall be repaired within one month (1 month) of being notified.
Removal of Memorials (including re-opening graves)
No memorial mason shall leave ANY unfixed memorials or debris in the cemetery.
Inspection of Memorials
The burial authority may inspect the erection of a memorial either, as the work proceeds, or shortly after the work is completed. Where work is found to be unacceptable, either not conforming to the NAMM Recommended Code of Working Practice and BRAMM Blue Book or any other reason, the Memorial Mason will be instructed by the burial authority to return and rectify the work to meet the Council’s standards. The standard of works should comply with the current inspection procedures and should withstand a manual test.
Post Work Inspection
The burial authority may inspect a memorial following erection, or completion of other work, either as part of routine maintenance, or in response to a complaint from the public or staff. Where there is reasonable doubt that the work does not conform to these specifications, the Memorial Mason may be instructed to dismantle their work in order to verify compliance with the scheme’s standards. In the event that work does not meet the required standards the memorial mason will re-erect the work to the appropriate standards, the costs of dismantling and re-erection in these circumstances being their responsibility. In the event that the work complies with the required standards the costs of dismantling and re-erection will be the responsibility of the Council.
If, for any reason, the memorial mason refuses to co-operate with these post work inspections, the burial authority shall have the right to employ a third party (a qualified memorial mason registered under the scheme) to perform the work. The costs incurred will be the responsibility of the original memorial mason and may result in disciplinary action being taken.