THE teams which look after the cemeteries in the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area are committed to keeping them safe and tidy, despite what the weather can throw at them.

Bereavement Services Manager, Liz Murphy, told Cowdenbeath Area Committee that costs of repairs to Lochgelly Cemetery were (£158,000), Kinglassie Churchyard (£30,000) and Auchterderran Churchyard (£5,500).

These were set to be carried out with the project at the Eliza Brae facility being for a substantial maintenance project to the boundary wall.

But Ms Murphy said that they service had a responsibility to consider the condition of headstones in their cemeteries as the local authority had a legal duty to ensure that a cemetery is a safe place as in operating and managing cemeteries the council is required to conform to health and safety requirements.

She told councillors: "Technically headstones and memorabilia are not the property of the council.

"However, in practice this is probably a moot point because of the broad duty of care we have to visitors of cemeteries.

"It is also the case that for the headstones affected because of the passage of time, we do not have accurate current contact details for lair holders and that significant work would need to take place to help track down the individuals concerned and persuade them to undertake required remedial works always assuming that this would be possible."

Ms Murphy added that in parallel with headstone surveys, surveys of cemetery infrastructure had also taken place. In the main these focussed on boundary walls and other structures and the situation at Lochgelly Cemetery had been spotted.

All 115 sites in Fife had been surveyed and and initial indicative programme of remedial actions, based on risk had been identified.

The bereavement manager said: "There are a number of tasks carried out within cemeteries that require the council to ensure that safe working practices are employed which include grass cutting, hedge and shrub maintenance and the application of chemicals for weed control.

"Activities also include the safe excavation of graves and the installation of headstones.

"All staff involved in grave digging are trained, then certificated by an external verifier and around 150 interments take place annually within the Cowdenbeath Area Committee's two wards."

Councillor Alistair Bain said that it was encouraging that the wall problem at Lochgelly Cemetery was to be tackled while Councillor Mary Lockhart said that Ballingry Cemetery had had more than a few problems over the past year with grass cutting being tricky during particularly wet weather.

Liz Murphy stressed the importance of good maintenance of cemeteries in her conclusion: "Surveys of a number of our cemeteries have identified the need to address the condition of burial grounds so that they remain safe places that are well looked after and provide fitting places for remembrance and contemplation."