‘Total disgrace’: Families blame council for unsafe gravestones at cemetery

Notices advising lair holders to contact the council’s environment and infrastructure department were recently placed next to scores of headstones at Abbey Cemetery.

Helen Corrigan, 61, said she was informed that her brother’s gravestone would be laid flat on the ground next year if work was not carried out to make the memorial safe.

The Johnstone gran told The Glasgow Times: “They have put notices on nearly every headstone at Abbey Cemetery and part of that is neglect through Renfrewshire Council.

“I believe the roots of overgrowing trees are damaging many of them and moss has led to some of the writing coming off my brother’s gravestone.

“There is also dog poo, overflowing bins, cars and motorbikes going into the cemetery at night as the council don’t lock the gates, the list just goes on and on.

“It’s a total disgrace.”

In 2019, the Scottish Government published guidance for local authorities to make sure memorials are safe after Ciaran Williamson was just eight years old when he was killed by a falling headstone in Glasgow’s Craigton Cemetery.

Helen said: “My heart goes out to the family of that boy and I’m worried it could happen again at Abbey Cemetery if the gates aren’t locked at night.

“I know the council say they’ve got to make cutbacks but it’s the families who are getting penalised for it.

“Because of the council’s neglect, families are going to have to pay hundreds of pounds to get the headstones back up standing and pinned to the ground.”

Councillor John Hood, who represents Elderslie, is also concerned about the financial costs being placed on affected families.

He said: “I think the best way forward is for the council to try and see if there’s anything that can be done to get them fixed at a lower cost.”

Councillor Iain McMillan, who also represents Elderslie, said he regularly receives complaints from constituents about the state of Abbey Cemetery.

He added: “I think, in general, headstones lying on their side is not a good look but I don’t know what the alternatives are. It is a difficult one.”

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “Our staff carry out regular maintenance of Renfrewshire cemeteries and churchyards to provide as safe and welcoming a space as possible for visitors.

“Following the tragic death of a child in a Scottish cemetery, the Scottish Government published guidance in 2019 for local authorities to make sure memorials are safe. After the guidance was published, we agreed a policy for inspecting memorial monuments and headstones.

“If a deterioration is noted on a memorial during inspection that is not an immediate danger but requires further monitoring or remedial action, signage is left at the memorial and information on any required restorative work is detailed to the lair holder. The memorial will then be reinspected by council staff in 12 months to monitor for any additional deterioration to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.

“We recognise the importance of these spaces for loved ones and aim to carry out the required safety measures as respectfully as possible.”