Families want public apology from council
Anger as 20 don’t know if loved ones’graves are‘full of water’
Tormented Ayr Cemetery families affected by a ‘water ingress’ graves probe have slammed South Ayrshire Council for not publicly apologising for their suffering.
Families who fear their loved ones are ‘floating in water’ at Ayr Cemetery have furiously hit out at council chiefs over their communication as they face an agonising wait for answers.
They claim that not once in any public statement have South Ayrshire Council apologised following the shock revelation that chambers had water leaking into them.
At least 20 families do not yet know if their loved ones’ graves are full of water.
Now a report into the ‘next steps’ is set to last a painful four weeks as families are left dealing with more uncertainty.
Danielle Burns, 30, laid her dad Joseph Burns to rest in 2019 at the chamber section where it’s feared graves are affected.
The Ayr mum is one of the families who face an anxious wait to find out what the next stage could possibly be.
She said: “Why has the council not publicly apologised?
“The whole thing has been a shambles really, the onus is on the council to come out and say sorry for this shambles.
“Another week has passed and we have heard nothing, no updates, no letters.
“Anytime we have received a letter you can tell it is just a copy and paste job that is being sent to everyone else.
“Why haven’t they sat down and spoke to the families individually.
“Even a phone call would be a lot better to explain to us exactly what is going on.”
A council spokesman said they apologised directly to families affected in a letter on January 21.
A council spokesperson said: “We know that this has been extremely distressing for the families involved and we have been in direct contact with the lair owners throughout.
“In a letter sent to the lair owners on January 21, 2022 we acknowledged that we fully appreciated how distressing this will be for families whose loved ones are interred within the chambers in Ayr cemetery extension.
“We also offered our sincere apologies that this has happened and for any distress and upset this may have caused.
“These chambers were installed on the basis that they were watertight and airtight and all appropriate permissions were obtained to satisfy statutory requirements.
Martin Dowey, leader of the council’s Conservative opposition, said: “A number of constituents have been in touch regarding this very distressing issue.
“Clearly, having the matter resolved as quickly and as sensitively as possible should be the council’s priority.
He added: “But it is concerning they have not seen fit thus far to issue a public apology to the many relatives who are, with each passing day, suffering further through this incident.”