MyEDC

    Technical Notes 2021, Issue 108 - Cessation of pre-purchase of Cemetery lairs, Langfaulds and Cadder Cemeteries

    • Report by:

      Thomas Glen, Depute Chief Executive – Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets

    • TN Number:

      108-21

    • Subject:

      Cessation of pre-purchase of Cemetery lairs, Langfaulds and Cadder Cemeteries

    • Responsible Officer:

      Thomas McMenamin, Executive Officer – Roads & Environment

    • Publication:

      This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.

    Section

     

    1. The purpose of this Technical Note is to advise the current position regarding the cemetery capacity at both Cadder and Langfaulds Cemeteries.   Due to projected sales at both locations, the current system of selling lairs without the need for immediate interment will be required to be changed to that of purchasing a lair on the basis of immediate interment only.  Such a measure is required in order to increase the life cycle of both sites, and brings the sale of lairs in line with the current system in place at Old Aisle and Baldernock Cemeteries.  As of 1 July 2021, the Service ceased accommodating any new requests for pre-purchase of lairs for coffins or cremated remains at either Cadder or Langfaulds Cemeteries

    Background

    1. The life cycle of Cemeteries owned and maintained by East Dunbartonshire is listed in Table 1.  Longest capacity is provided by the Council’s newest Cemetery at High Park, where pre-purchase is available, followed by Old Aisle and Baldernock Cemeteries, where the purchase of lairs is available for immediate interment only.…

    Table 1: Lair capacity and project life cycle as at 17 June 2021, East Dunbartonshire owned and maintained cemeteries

    TN 108 - table 1

    1. Taking into account the availability of lairs, in addition to processing of current lair sales and the average number of sales sold per year (pre-purchased and immediate interment, based on a 5 year average), the life cycle for the cemeteries has been calculated as 5.1 years for Cadder and 4.35 years for Langfaulds (burial lairs), and 3.16 years for Cadder and 2.14 years for Langfaulds for cremated remain lairs. 
    1. By removing the average number of lairs bought on the basis of pre-purchase and modelling forward to the exhaustion of the cemetery space, the life cycle of both cemeteries would result in a significant increase in life cycle capacity to 11.38 years at Cadder and 7.61 years at Langfaulds (burial lairs), and an increased capacity for cremated remains lairs: 9.3 years at Cadder and 5 years at Langfaulds.
    1. Removal of the availability to pre-purchase lairs at both sites will result in a projected loss of income for the Service over the short term, calculated as £30,276 and £14,472 p.a. (burial lairs) and £3230 and £2358 p.a. for cremated lair sales at Cadder and Langfaulds respectively, based on the preceding 5 year sale history.
    1. In respect of cemetery development, designs have been finalised for the southern extension of Langfaulds Cemetery, with capital funds allocated for the construction of the extension to take place in financial years 2023/2024.  

    In regard to the development of a new Cemetery within the Bishopbriggs/Kirkintilloch area, the Service is continuing to undertake enhanced site surveying work, prior to site selection, design with all plans subject to planning approval.