Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

To consider the above petition, bearing 474 e-signatures. Councillor P Seaman, a Henley Ward Councillor and the petition organiser has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this matter.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) concerning a petition bearing 474 e-signatures which was being supported by Councillor P Seaman, a Henley Ward Councillor, who attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. The petition organiser Nicola Wilson was also invited but was unable to attend. The petitioners were requesting the installation of closed circuit television (CCTV) at Lentons Lane cemetery following thefts from a number of graves.

The report indicated that there were 6 cemeteries under the control of the City Council and in the past there had been a number of requests for CCTV to be fitted at all of these sites. These requests had to be balanced against a number of considerations including that the majority of visitors wanted to visit a loved one’s final resting place in peace and deemed cameras to be an invasion of their privacy; it was impossible to supply a standard level of security cover for all graves and memorials, especially as many graves would be obscured due to general landscaping; the quality of any footage from CCTV would likely be insufficient to enable perpetrators to be identified; and the financial implications involving over £30,000 to set up a system with additional ongoing monitoring costs. 

The Cabinet Member was informed that in the previous four years no reports of high value incidents due to vandalism had been reported to Bereavement Services. There were a small number of occasions throughout the year when low value, high sentimental items were taken from graves and from the Gardens of Remembrance. Although any thefts from graves were highly distressing for the families concerned, there was no indication of a wide spread or major vandalism issue within the city’s cemeteries. Between December 2016 and December 2017, there had been 36 reports of low value thefts from graves and the gardens of remembrance. These included 10 incidents at Lentons Lane cemetery. There had also been one report of anti-social behaviour at Lentons Lane.

Attention was drawn to a meeting which took place during November 2017 at Lentons Lane cemetery when Councillor Innes, Cabinet Member and officers met petitioners to gain an understanding of their concerns and to identify ways forward to address the problems being experienced.

The report highlighted that signs had now been erected in Lentons Lane cemetery advising visitors how to report theft and anti-social behaviour. Reviews and meetings were currently taking place regarding the activities around the opening and closing of the gates, regular patrols by the local Community Policing units and patrols carried out by the Council communications centre. Enquiries were ongoing regarding the pedestrian gate and the options available to remove the potential access of vehicles whilst maintaining easy access for wheelchair users. Enquiries were ongoing regarding the setting up of a direct complaints system for acts of theft to be pin marked on a map accessed via the Bereavement Services web pages.

Councillor Seaman detailed her concerns for families when items were taken from loved ones graves. She expressed support for the actions that were being undertaken to address the petitioners’ concerns, in particular the proposed introduction of a direct complaints system for acts of theft.  

RESOLVED that:

(1) The number of reported issues of anti-social behaviour recorded at Lentons Lane and other cemeteries over the past 12 months be noted.

(2) The cost of installing CCTV at Lentons Lane cemetery estimated at over £30,000 and its limited effectiveness be noted.

(3) The actions being taken by Bereavement Services to reduce anti-social behaviour at the cemetery be noted.