Urgent Cemetery Memorial Safety Checks

Direct award The memorial safety programme covering both Mitcham Road and Queens Road Cemeteries has lapsed since Covid- 19. There are approximately 30,000 memorials across both sites which have not been recently checked due to a shortage of staff, insufficient resources, the difficulties experienced recruiting staff and dated inefficient technology. This shortcoming has been identified as a major non-conformity in a recent H&S audit for the service. The Council and service are legally responsible should a service user or visitor be injury by an unsafe memorial which could lead to significant fines, prosecutions and negative PR for both the service and the Council. This provision is required immediately to commence the process and mitigate the current risk with a view to tendering this requirement within the next 12 months. This will ensure our statutory obligations, particularly in relation to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1984 are met for this area.