Response 3870600

Response to request for information

Reference

3870600

Response date

8 January 2026

Request

1. Do you have a written policy that you can share for Grave Digging?
2. Do you have a standard operating procedure for grave digging that specifically refers to the use of mechanical diggers that you can share?
3. How many Mechanical Diggers are in use, leased or owned by your authority?
4. What is the average age and type of mechanical diggers in use?
5. Are mechanical diggers used for all grave digging, or only under certain conditions (e.g. soil type, weather)?
6. Do you outsource grave digging (mechanical or by hand) to contractors, and if so, who do you use? 
7. Does your policy specify when mechanical diggers should or should not be used – please provide excerpt?
8. What are the restrictions on using mechanical diggers in your cemeteries (e.g., historic areas, environmentally sensitive zones)?
9. What qualifications do your staff hold for operating mechanical diggers?
10. What are the contingency plans for manual digging if mechanical diggers are unavailable or ground conditions prohibit their use?
11. How do you manage Noise, HAVs (Hand Arm Vibration) and WBV (Whole Body Vibration) in relation to mechanical diggers and disruption caused by mechanical diggers in sensitive areas?
12. What was the output of your cost-benefit analysis of comparing manual digging to mechanical digging? 
13. What is your policy on personal memorialization of graves in your cemeteries (not allowed | allowed with restrictions)?

Response

1. Do you have a written policy that you can share for Grave Digging?
   • Answer = Our cemetery policy is currently under review and will be updated shortly. 
2. Do you have a standard operating procedure for grave digging that specifically refers to the use of mechanical diggers that you can share?
   • Answer = Our cemetery policy is currently under review and will be updated shortly.
3. How many Mechanical Diggers are in use, leased or owned by your authority?
   • Answer = None that are specifically used fro grave digging
4. What is the average age and type of mechanical diggers in use?
   • Answer = Not applicable for grave digging
5. Are mechanical diggers used for all grave digging, or only under certain conditions (e.g. soil type, weather)?
   • Answer = All graves are hand dug
6. Do you outsource grave digging (mechanical or by hand) to contractors, and if so, who do you use?
   • Answer = AM Buckingham
7. Does your policy specify when mechanical diggers should or should not be used – please provide excerpt?
   • Answer = Our cemetery policy is currently under review and will be updated shortly. 
8. What are the restrictions on using mechanical diggers in your cemeteries (e.g., historic areas, environmentally sensitive zones)?
   • Answer = We do not allow mechanical diggers on site - the cemetery is too small. We also want to protect the landscaped surface of the cemetery as much as possible.
9. What qualifications do your staff hold for operating mechanical diggers?
   • Answer = None specifically for grave digging
10. What are the contingency plans for manual digging if mechanical diggers are unavailable or ground conditions prohibit their use?
    • Answer = All graves are hand dug
11. How do you manage Noise, HAVs (Hand Arm Vibration) and WBV (Whole Body Vibration) in relation to mechanical diggers and disruption caused by mechanical diggers in sensitive areas?
    • Answer = Not applicable
12. What was the output of your cost-benefit analysis of comparing manual digging to mechanical digging?
    • Answer = Not applicable
13. What is your policy on personal memorialization of graves in your cemeteries (not allowed | allowed with restrictions)?
    • Answer = Allowed with restrictions