Kilkerran Cemetery Update Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 4 September 2024
Back to Mid Argyll, Kintyre & the Islands Area Committee — 4 September 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL MAKI AREA COMMITTEE ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE 4 SEPTEMBER 2024 SERVICES KILKERRAN CEMETERY UPDATE REPORT 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report provides a short update on the works carried out to identify another site to build a new cemetery for Kintyre. 1.2 It was previously reported to the MAKI Area Committee in March and December 2023 that there were no cemeteries with less than 5 years capacity in the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area, with Kilkerran Cemetery having a maximum of 8 years of availability according to current calculations based on lairs being sold at first point of requirement (i.e. no pre-sale of Lairs). 1.3 A further update report was presented to the June MAKI Area Committee as per the below link: June 2024 MAKI Area Committee Kilkerran Cemetery Update Report 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 The MAKI Area Committee are asked to: • Note that officers have continued to try and engage with the MOD as well as the Kings Harbour Master to discuss their objection to our initial request to re- purpose the land adjacent to the current cemetery. This has been further supported by a letter being sent from the MAKI Area Committee Chair to the MOD and the Kings Harbour Master requesting a suitable date to meet on site. • Note that a meeting took place on Thursday 22 August with the Kings Harbour Master (KHM), MOD estates, Argyll and Bute Marine Officers and Network and Standards Officers to discuss the MOD’s initial letter of objection. This was a positive meeting where the KHM and the MOD agreed that having looked at the Council’s proposal for the purchase and use of the land as a cemetery in more detail, they were of the opinion that this would not likely have any effect on the Ship Light Beacon provided no LED or lights were placed on grave stones and no gravestones were erected which were above 6 feet. • Note that the KHM and MOD will now look at internal processes for the potential purchase or lease of the land to Argyll and Bute Council, however this would be dependent on their estates and legal sections agreeing.
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• Note that the Assistant Network and Standards Manager will now make contact with the local land owner with a view to entering into negotiations for the other part of the cemetery. 3.0 DETAIL 3.1 Officers previously reported that the alternative site at Moy on the B842 last year was no longer available to purchase, and that there is now very limited availability of land to create a new cemetery in the Campbeltown area. 3.2 Having discussed and identified the local landowner of a site to the north of the current cemetery, as well part of the land being owned by the MOD; officers have had positive discussions with the local landowner and thereafter have, for several months, engaged with the MOD to purchase the land for a cemetery extension. 3.3 In June 2024, the MOD refused the purchase of the land and its use as a cemetery stating that the Kings Harbour Master rejected our request for cemetery development as “any development in the vicinity of this site could impact/obscure the rear leading navigation light into Campbeltown Harbour”. 3.4 Whilst the above comments are noted, officers requested a meeting preferably on site with the MOD and the Kings Harbour Master to discuss our plans which we feel may still be able to allow the development of a cemetery at the location without impacting on any visibility of the beacon. This meeting took place on Thursday 22 August 2024 with a positive outcome that the KHM has agreed that the suggested development of the land into a cemetery was not likely to cause any issues for the lighting beacon or ships coming into the area. 3.5 It was agreed that the MOD and KHM would discuss the potential purchase or lease of the land to the Council and a further meeting will be scheduled in approximately 6 weeks’ time for further discussions. The MOD have confirmed that this may be a complex matter regarding the purchase or lease of the land and will take some time to go through their relevant estates and legal sections, however they will progress. 3.6 If the MOD land is not available for sale but agreement to a cemetery extension in the field is accepted by the MOD, vehicle access issues will still remain. A revised design will necessitate use of the farm track and potentially breaking through the existing Kilkerran Cemetery boundary walls in places, to provide suitable vehicular routes. 4.0 CONCLUSION 4.1 Kilkerran cemetery has sufficient overall capacity for a maximum 8 years, restrictions are in place to preserve remaining lair space, however we have limited availability for any other land to provide a new cemetery in the Kintyre area. Officers would highlight that if successful in negotiating the purchase of land at
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Kilkerran, this would facilitate an extension to the current cemetery at Kilkerran which we estimate will allow at least 30 years lair availability. 4.2 A further update will be provided to the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Committee once discussions have progressed. 5.0 IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Policy – None known. 5.2 Financial – Cemetery extensions and new developments require additional Capital funding, to provide “ready to use” infrastructure to sustain the burial service at local levels. 5.3 Legal – The Council, as Burial Authority, must provide at least one cemetery. 5.4 HR – None known. 5.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: None known. 5.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics – None known. 5.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – Provision of the burial service at local level sustains the business models of both the Council and private providers and reduces the overall cost to customers. 5.5.3 Islands – None known. 5.6 Climate Change – None known. 5.7 Risk – Land suitability, availability and development costs, may affect the viability of retaining a local burial service. 5.8 Customer Service – Cemetery development programme aims to provide and maintain the burial service at local level wherever practicable. 5.9 The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – None known. Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Councillor John Armour August 2024
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For further information contact: Jim Smith, Head of Road and Infrastructure Services jim.smith@argyll-bute.gov.uk Hugh O’Neill, Network and Standards Manager hugh.oneill@argyll-bute.gov.uk