Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council (20 000 426)

Statement Not upheld Cemeteries and crematoria 08-Jan-2021

Summary: Mr X complains about delays and errors frustrating his attempts to transfer the ownership of a family grave to himself. We have discontinued our investigation of this complaint as we believe any injustice caused to Mr X is not significant enough to justify our involvement.

Charnwood Borough Council (20 007 986)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Cemeteries and crematoria 22-Dec-2020

Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint that the Council has refused to take enforcement action to remove a cemetery memorial. This is because it is unlikely we would identify fault on the Council’s part causing injustice to Mr B.

London Borough of Enfield (20 006 153)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Cemeteries and crematoria 18-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mr X’s complaint about the Council’s charges for the burial of his partner. The Council had no direct involvement with Mr X and if he disputes the charges he should raise the matter with the funeral director.

Broxtowe Borough Council (20 006 034)

Statement Upheld Cemeteries and crematoria 17-Nov-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs X’s complaint that the Council has allowed another person to be buried partly in her cemetery plot. This is because the Council has offered a suitable remedy for Mrs X’s injustice and we cannot say it must exhume the other person from their grave as she would like.

Northampton Borough Council (19 018 143)

Statement Upheld Cemeteries and crematoria 10-Nov-2020

Summary: the Council marked a grave too far over for Mr B’s granddaughter’s interment which meant further digging had to take place on the day of the funeral. That delayed the interment, caused Mr B and the parents of the child distress and led to them having to go to time and trouble to pursue a complaint. An apology, agreement to follow the procedure on child burials and payment to Mr B on behalf of the family is satisfactory remedy.

Cheshire West & Chester Council (20 002 003)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Cemeteries and crematoria 10-Sep-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the removal of items from a Council operated crematorium. This is because he is unlikely to determine fault by the Council and he cannot question the merits of a decision made in the absence of fault.

Mole Valley District Council (19 020 608)

Statement Upheld Cemeteries and crematoria 02-Sep-2020

Summary: Mrs C complained about the location of her late husband’s grave and the fact it is prone to flooding. She says the grave will only be dry for three months of the year and it is causing significant distress to her and her family. The Ombudsman finds the Council was at fault for its communication with Mrs C. However, we also found the Council has already offered a suitable remedy for the injustice caused by the fault.

Worthing Borough Council (20 002 381)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Cemeteries and crematoria 26-Aug-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate Mrs A’s complaint about damage to the fence around her parents’ grave. This is because it is reasonable for Mrs A to seek a remedy in court. Nor will he investigate the Council’s refusal to allow her to place a new fence around the grave as it is unlikely we would find fault.

Norwich City Council (19 012 817)

Statement Closed after initial enquiries Cemeteries and crematoria 10-Aug-2020

Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s cemeteries service giving poor advice about burial plots and headstones when he made enquiries in 2018 and 2019. The Ombudsman should not exercise his discretion to investigate the complaint about burial plots. This is because part of it concerns matters which the complainant was aware of more than 12 months before making a complaint. There is insufficient evidence of fault to warrant an investigation of the 2019 complaint about headstones.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (20 000 723)

Statement Upheld Cemeteries and crematoria 22-Jul-2020

Summary: The Ombudsman will not investigate this complaint about the compensation the Council offered after it prepared the wrong plot for a burial. This is because the Council has offered a fair and proportionate remedy.