More infomation

A Parish Council can provide or help fund a burial ground. In 1966 to meet this task an agreement was reached between the Church and the Council for the Council to assist with the cost of maintenance.

 

A 1999 revision agreed that for the next 25 years the Parish Council would take responsibility for:-

 

1) Mowing and treating the grass within the area used for burials at any time.

 

2) Tree surgery and care of the shrubs in the same area.

 

3) Maintenance of the wall alongside the B245 and any hedges within the area used for burials at any time.

 

4) Any initial capital costs associated with the extension of the facilities for burial existing in 1999 (including that used for ashes) such as new hedges walls, fencing and drainage works so as to extend the existing areas to ready them for use.

 

The definition means that as well as the car park , lych gate and the paths a considerable area of Church land remains their responsibility, for example the grass by the car park.

 

After the 1999 agreement was reached, work began on the extension of the burial ground into the Glebe Field.

 

For the last few years, the Borough Council has made a grant to the Parish Council to meet the estimated cost of mowing the Churchyard to a standard similar to that at Tonbridge Cemetery.This, together with a population based grant and one towards street lighting, is done as part of an attempt to offset the extra cost imposed on residents by the Parish Rate on the Parished areas compared to un-parished Tonbridge.