New action in effort to fix cemetery drainage issues

BRIDGEND council is taking fresh action to try to resolve ground and drainage issues which have affected several graves at Maesteg Cemetery.

Heavy rainfall and difficult ground conditions within an extension to the cemetery have caused a number of plots to become waterlogged.

The council is seeking to appoint specialists who can carry out a full study of the cemetery extension and support a series of vital improvements at the site.

Cllr Richard Young, cabinet member for communities, said: “While a previous attempt to appoint specialists to carry out this site study was hindered by the Covid-19 global pandemic, lockdown restrictions are now easing and we are keen for the work to progress as quickly as possible.

“Additional top-soil is always required following an interment as it is normal for soil to settle and drop, but because the ground is largely made up of clay and stone, this has led to some graves becoming waterlogged.

“The issues are affecting several graves on land that forms part of a cemetery extension which was carried out more than a decade ago, and we apologise for any distress or inconvenience that this may have caused.

“We are continuing to look at temporary measures while we seek to appoint specialists to support our efforts to improve the extended area, and I want to reassure the community that we are committed towards resolving this situation as soon as possible.”

Over the past few months, work has been ongoing to improve the overall appearance of the cemetery’s extended area which has included further infrastructure, enabling more regular maintenance and grass cutting to take place.