Crematorium regulations

Everyone should follow the rules of the supervisors. The supervisors can stop people from being in the crematorium building if they need.

The crematorium will be open to the public on days and times that the Council says. Times might change. If times change, we will put notices up on the crematorium building.

The outside areas of the crematorium are called the Gardens of Remembrance. These gardens are open all year round. If they need to be closed, we will put notices up on the crematorium building.

Garden opening hours

Monday to Sunday, including public holidays:

• 1 April to 30 September - 8am to 5:30pm - gates close at 5pm
• 1 October to 31 March - 8am to 5pm - gates close at 4.30pm
• Christmas Day - 8am to 3pm - gates close at 2:30pm

Chapel open hours (public)

The crematorium chapels will be open to the public at the following time (Monday to Friday only):

• 1 April to 30 September - 9am to 4:30pm
• 1 October to 31 March - 9am to 4pm

All persons should act well, and in a quiet and sensible way.

No person should:

• Create any disturbance in the crematorium on purpose.
• Make a nuisance in the crematorium.
• Interfere with any cremation or interment of ashes taking place in the crematorium.
• Interfere with any memorial or any flowers or plants or similar things
• Play games or sports in the crematorium.

Visitors should not stop the workers at the crematorium. Visitors should not ask the workers to do private work for them. Visitors should not give gifts or money to any workers. Visitors that want to complain should tell the cemetery office workers. You can also email or phone the cemetery office to complain.

No animals are allowed to enter the Garden of Remembrance other than dogs on a lead. Only service animals may enter the memorial hall or service chapels.

Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the crematorium on their own. They should be with a responsible adult.No one should sell or offer to sell any item in the crematorium

Visitors should use the paths in the grounds. You can travel on the grass if you are going to a memorial or for a burial or scattering of ashes.

No visitors should take, damage or change memorial plants, shrubs, trees or soil.Rubbish should not be left loose in the grounds. If you have rubbish, please use the bins.

Photographs and videos are not allowed in the grounds unless the manager says it is ok.

No one should smoke or vape in the building, or near where ashes are being buried or scattered.

No worker should ask for gifts or money.

Cremations should follow the cremation rules. These rules are made by the Secretary of State for the Home Office. Workers should follow the code of cremation practice made by the Federation of Burial and Cremation Authorities (also known as the FBCA).

Cremation services can take place between 8:30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.

No cremation should happen on a Saturday, Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Public Holidays. In special cases the manager can allow cremations to happen on a Saturday.

The time given for a cremation is the time that the funeral should arrive at the chapel, or crematorium entrance. The Funeral Director or person in charge of the funeral must do what the manager or cemetery staff ask.

The Funeral Director should make sure that the funeral arrives in good time. They should make sure that the mourners are in the chapel at the right time. The usual service time strictly 25 minutes in total. The chapel is held for the service for 40 minutes. This time starts and is shown on the daily list. This list is outside of the chapel. Funeral Directors should be aware of time and be efficient. They should make sure that the service is not affected by poor organisation. The funeral director should ask for extra time if they need to do extra activities before the funeral. Sometimes we cannot give extra time.

We may ask to stop any noise activity that can cause a disturbance. We want to make sure that for safety and wellbeing the grounds and chapels are not too noisy. This is to help everyone that visits the crematorium and gardens.

The funeral director should tell us before the funeral if there might be too much noise from something. The funeral director should make sure the noise does not affect other services of visitors. If it is music, like bagpipes, the person playing the music should be aware of the rules.

The playing of music can happen when the cortege (funeral cars) comes through the entrance gates. Music should stop once the cortege stops outside of the Chapel. Music can start again when the mourners exit the chapel.

Playing bagpipes, bugles, or other loud instruments is not allowed inside. The funeral director can check before the funeral if other instruments are allowed to be played.

Motorbikes or other vehicles can escort the cortege on the driveway. All vehicles must not make too much noise. This includes revving the engine, make the wheels spins, and using horns.

Each cremation slot is for 40 minutes from the start time. The funeral director should arrange before the funeral any changes if they need to. Sometimes there are extra fees for changes. Services are limited to 25 minutes (for music and speaking). This gives 15 minutes to enter and exit the chapel.

Every cremation should be booked in. All paperwork for the cremation must be provided to the cemetery office. The paperwork should be provided to the office at least 5 working days before the funeral. If this does not happen, we might not be able to allow the funeral. If there is a special case the manager can allow paperwork to be provided within the 5 working days.

The Council is not responsible for verbal agreements. Agreements should be confirmed in writing by the crematorium or cemetery office.

The council is not responsible for what might happen arising from the loss or delay of any such request. The council is not responsible for the information given to us on the Preliminary Notice for Cremation.

All paperwork should be provided to the office at least 5 working days before the funeral. If this does not happen, we might not be able to allow the funeral. If there is a special case the manager can allow paperwork to be provided within the 5 working days.

These documents can include:

• application for Cremation (Form Crem 1) as shown in the schedule to the Cremation Regulations of 1952. The Application must normally be signed by an executor or nearest surviving relative of the deceased. It may be signed by another person if the crematorium authority is sure that they are the right person. A good reason should be given on the Application form. (Regulation 1 (1) of the Cremation Regulations, 1952 and the Cremation (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 and the Cremation, Coroners and Notification of Deaths (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.

If the Application is not signed by an executor or nearest surviving relative if they survive the deceased, the manager will need a letter authorising the application. If the Application is made by a relative that is not the executor or next of kin of the deceased, and a good reason is given, this may be allowed.

The application must be verified by being countersigned. This can be done by any householder that knows the applicant. They should have no reason to doubt the truth of any of the information given by the applicant. (Regulation 1 (1) of the Cremation Regulations, 1952 as amended by Regulation 2 of the Cremation Regulations, 1965)

And, as appropriate:

After 9 September 2024, applications for cremation must be made using the forms introduced through the Cremation (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 and the Cremation, Coroners and Notification of Deaths (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

For a cremation to take place, relevant forms must be completed (see footnote 5):

• For the cremation of a deceased person or following anatomical examination, form Cremation 1.
• For the cremation of body parts where the deceased person has already been either buried or cremated, form Cremation 2.
• For the cremation of a stillborn baby, form Cremation 3.
• Certificate in Form Crem 10 No cremation shall take place except on the written authority of the Medical Referee given.

It is important that the wording on the forms is not altered (changed). Medical Referees (known as MRs) are instructed to reject any forms which do not follow the statutory wording. Or where there have been significant alterations to the format of the forms, digitally or otherwise.

Footnote 5: The applicant for cremation will usually be a near relative or an executor and reasons should be given on the form explaining why any person making the application is not the near relative or an executor.

Form Cremation 1 should be also have the following forms:

• in non-coronial cases the form required is 'The Certificate for burial or cremation' ('the green form').
• in coronial cases the form required is 'Cremation 6'. (Please note: the green form is not necessary in cases involving the relevant coroner.)
• in cremations following anatomical examination the form required is 'Cremation 7' and the green form'

For a death which occurred in Scotland, a form Cremation 1 or equivalent should be accompanied by:

• either Form 14 - Certificate of Registration of Death or Form E1 (issued if a procurator fiscal has been involved and has released the remains for cremation); and
• a Certificate of No Liability to Register should also be obtained from the registrar in England or Wales, in whose area it is intended to cremate the body, and inform the relevant coroner for the area where the cremation will take place.

For a death which occurred in Northern Ireland, a form Cremation 1 or equivalent should be accompanied by:

• either Northern Ireland Crematorium Form B (The Medical Certificate) and Form C (which verifies the information in Form B) - these forms must be completed by a doctor in Northern Ireland - or a Form 20a (relevant Coroner's Authority for Cremation); and
• Certificate of Registration of Death (Green Form equivalent) and Form 18 (relevant Coroner's Certificate for Removal of a Body out of Northern Ireland) must be provided by the relevant coroner; and
• The Northern Ireland Council Form, providing information on whether a hazardous implant is present and whether it has been removed. This must be completed by the doctor who completes Form B or by the relevant coroner.

Extracted from guidance for cremation authorities and crematorium managers.

Cremation of a Non-viable Foetus (non-statutory) can be allowed. We will need the written application from the Hospital Authorities or the person making the funeral arrangements. This should have a Certificate from the medical practitioner confirming that they have delivered a non-viable foetus and stating its estimated age.

The new process for deaths in England and Wales

1. a registered medical practitioner will propose a cause of death which will be independently scrutinised by a Medical Examiner (known as the ME) after reviewing relevant medical records.
2. the ME will offer the bereaved an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
3. once the registered medical practitioner and the ME have made their declarations and the cause of death is finalised, and if there is no requirement to notify the relevant coroner, the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (known as the MCCD) is sent to the registrar's office. This notification will also start the 5-day target to register the death. It will not be possible for a death to be registered in non-coronial cases without the ME approving the MCCD.
4. the registration informant, who is the person who provides the information regarding the deceased person, other than the cause of death, to the registrar, is simultaneously notified so that they can contact the register office in order to register the death.
5. the informant contacts the register office and the arrangements are made to register the death.
6. where requested, the registrar produces one or more certified copies of the death entry in the register also known as a Death Certificate for the representative of the deceased person to purchase.
7. the registrar issues a Certificate for Burial or Cremation (the 'green form') to make the funeral arrangements - as part of this process they will also pass on medical information provided by the registered medical practitioner in relation to implants, but they have no role in making any decisions relating to this data (see footnote 2)

Footnote 2 - Any queries about the information on the form should be raised with either the registered medical practitioner or ME.

The Registrar or Medical Referee can decide which documents are needed when a death has happened outside of England. If this happens the coroner must be told the details of the death before a date and time is arranged.

Any form of religious service may be used. The cemetery office will need to check to see if any other type of ceremony is allowed. The coffin can be committed (taken for cremation) without a service.

The cemetery does not arrange for a religious person or speaker to speak or do the services. This will need to be done and paid for by the funeral director. If there is no funeral director the person arranging the funeral can do this.

Up to 6 representatives of the deceased person being cremated can see the coffin charged (when the cremator starts to work) into the cremation chamber. The manager has to give permission for this. No inspection of the actual process of cremation is allowed. All other people at the funeral should leave the building at the end of the funeral service.

A body with a cardiac pacemaker or radioactive implant in is not allowed to have a cremation. The Funeral Director should make sure that a pacemaker or other type of implant is removed.

A body should not be removed from the Crematorium after the Service of Committal. This may be done if there is a lawful reason.

The coffin and its contents shall be cremated exactly as received on the catafalque.

Each coffin shall be separately cremated.

No coffin can be accepted at the crematorium unless it has the correct name of the deceased on. This should be clearly shown on a plate on the coffin. A coffin may only contain one body except in the case of a mother and her baby or babies.

The coffin should be made of an easily combustible wood. Resinous or badly seasoned wood must not be used. Metal of a high ferrous content can be used to make the coffin safe. No other metal furniture or fittings should used. Hardwood plugs should be used wherever possible.

Cross pieces must not be attached to the bottom of the coffin. Wooden strips placed lengthways can be used to secure the bottom of the coffin. The coffin must not be painted or varnished. The coffin may be covered with a coloured cloth. There should be no cotton wool, plastics, or sawdust in the coffin or lining. Suitable sealing material may be used If it is needed. No metal or rubber is allowed. No pitch or similar substance be used.

The Council can refuse a cremation if a coffin does not meet these requirements.

The funeral director or the person arranging this needs people to carry the coffin. The coffin is carried from the hearse (funeral car) into the chapel. The coffin is rested on the catafalque (resting place for the coffin before the cremation). All cremations need this. This needs to be done sensibly. The crematorium does not have people available to do this. The council is responsible as soon as the coffin is placed on the catafalque.

If it is in the interest of public health the manager may order that a coffin is cremated on arrival without delay. The manager will need good reason to do this.

In an emergency certified by acceptable medical authority, and upon the written authority of the Medical Referee, Regulations 14, 15, 18(i) and 19a may be waived in the interest of public health.