An inspection is scheduled to begin in May to check the safety of memorials in West Street cemetery as part of an ongoing maintenance programme.

Farnham Town Council is responsible for ensuring general safety in its cemeteries and carries out an inspection every five years. Each memorial will be hand tested to check for stability and any that are found to be unsafe will be identified with a warning notice, supported with a wooden stake or laid down. The work will take around eight days to complete and will be carried out by a contractor on weekdays only.

Farnham Town Clerk, Iain Lynch says: “We have a duty of care towards anybody who visits the cemetery and take very seriously our responsibility to ensure memorials are safe. We are highly sensitive to the fact that memorial testing can be an emotive subject, particularly if we have to take immediate action to make a memorial safe. I would like to take this opportunity to reassure anybody who has concerns that any action that needs to be taken will be sympathetic and in keeping with the memorial. We are more than happy to discuss any issues or answer any questions about memorial safety and fixing.”

Memorial owners have a specific responsibility for the safety of their memorial. If the structure is found to be unsafe, they will be contacted and asked to make the memorial permanently safe.

Further information about the testing is available from Adrienne Owen who can be contacted on 01252 712667.