Cemetery Operations Benchmarking – Request for Information
Case reference FOI2025/01075
Received 5 December 2025
Published 10 January 2026
Request
I hope you’re well.
I’m carrying out a small cross-authority benchmarking exercise looking at different approaches to cemetery operational practices, and I would really appreciate your help with a few questions. I am particularly interested in how other authorities manage pre-dug graves and on-site waste arrangements, as these practices seem to vary between councils.
Pre-Dug Graves (Including for Faith Burials)
1. Do you keep any pre-dug graves prepared in advance (for example, for urgent or faith-specific burials such as Muslim burials)?
2. If so, what type of support system do you use while the grave remains open (e.g., hydraulic shoring, timber support, steel grave boxes, etc.)?
3. What procedures do you have in place for out-of-hours burials, particularly regarding staffing, grave-digger availability, and the management of any grave support systems during these times?
4. Do you have any procedures, safe systems of work, or risk assessments relating specifically to the management of pre-dug or open graves?
Cemetery Bins & Waste Management
1. What types of litter bins are currently used in your cemeteries (e.g., mesh/cage-type bins, enclosed metal bins, plastic bins)?
2. If any mesh/cage-type bins are used, how are they safely emptied – for example, do you have any SSOW, PPE requirements, or manual-handling controls in place?
3. Have any cage-type bins been replaced with enclosed bins in recent years?
I’m very happy to receive an informal response, or please feel free to treat this as a Freedom of Information request if that is easier for your internal processes.
Thank you very much for your time and assistance – it’s greatly appreciated.
Response
Pre-Dug Graves (Including for Faith Burials)
1. Do you keep any pre-dug graves prepared in advance (for example, for urgent or faith-specific burials such as Muslim burials)? No
2. If so, what type of support system do you use while the grave remains open (e.g., hydraulic shoring, timber support, steel grave boxes, etc.)? N/A
3. What procedures do you have in place for out-of-hours burials, particularly regarding staffing, grave-digger availability, and the management of any grave support systems during these times? We don’t conduct out of hours burials.
4. Do you have any procedures, safe systems of work, or risk assessments relating specifically to the management of pre-dug or open graves?N/A
Cemetery Bins & Waste Management
1. What types of litter bins are currently used in your cemeteries (e.g., mesh/cage-type bins, enclosed metal bins, plastic bins)? Metal open basket style bins.
2. If any mesh/cage-type bins are used, how are they safely emptied – for example, do you have any SSOW, PPE requirements, or manual-handling controls in place? N/A
3. Have any cage-type bins been replaced with enclosed bins in recent years?N/A
Documents
This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.