Council outlines cemetery rules
CHESHIRE East Council has confirmed its latest position surrounding access to cemeteries and crematoria amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that where a crematorium is located within a cemetery, such as in Macclesfield, that cemetery must be closed to the public under new emergency legislation as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Macclesfield Cemetery, on Prestbury Road, is one of 10 in the borough run by the council.
And a Cheshire East Council spokesman has confirmed the local authority’s position amid the coronavirus pandemic is that the borough’s cemeteries are remaining open, but crematoria are closed, except for funerals.
All those who attend these facilities are expected to observe social distancing of at least two metres away from other people outside who are from a different household.
Last month, Cheshire East handed out guidance and confirmed only immediate family members may attend funerals in the borough at present, with seating in chapels spaced out to comply with social distancing and all members of the same household sitting on the same row of seats.
Service lengths have asked to be reduced in order to thoroughly clean chapels between each service, automated hand sanitiser dispensers being installed at both crematorium chapels, and online bookings being temporarily removed in order to better respond to service demand.
Cemeteries and crematoria in Cheshire East are managed by Orbitas Bereavement Services, a company which is run by the local authority.