Overview

This 1.5-hour webinar about closed Church of England churchyards will cover the legal and management duties of local councils in deciding to accept maintenance responsibility (if asked to do so by parochial church councils).

It will also look at the following:

  • Closing Church of England churchyards by Order in Council
  • Faculty jurisdiction and the role of parochial church councils
  • Notification and objections to closure
  • Funding open churchyards and extensions – legal “grey” and uncertain areas
  • Continuation of burials in closed churchyards
  • Churchyard memorial management, safety checks and repairs
  • Transfer of maintenance responsibility to parish or district councils – legal and financial implications
  • General health and safety responsibilities
Rural churchyard with graves

Date

Monday 10 February 2025, 14:00 – 15:15

Price

Members: £45 + VAT
Non-Members: £50 + VAT

CPD points

Claim 1 CPD point for attending this webinar!

Joining instructions will be sent to you 3 weeks before the event (please check your spam inbox) and your invoice will be sent before the event. We advise that, on receipt of the joining instructions, you are liable for any fees incurred in order to attend the event.

Churchyard

Be prepared! Well worth attending.”
Jane Bowd, Holywell-cum-Needingworth Parish Council

About the Trainer

SLCC’s Hon Vice President, Alan Fairchild, MBE, FSLCC.

A local council clerk for over 40 years before retirement and founder member of the Society. Alan spent most of his professional career as Town Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer of a large urban council bordering the City of Norwich.  He also managed the council’s cemetery and closed churchyard and has been delivering training on burial ground management to clerks and councillors for many years.

Alan is a Board member of the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) and Society representative on the Ministry of Justice Cemetery & Cremation Advisory Group.

He is contributing to the Law Commission’s review of burial law and funeral practices to produce a “Modern Framework for Disposing of the Dead” launched in 2024.

Alan Fairchild photo

Wrong time? Wrong place?

SLCC is always keen to respond to members’ needs for training. If you would like to register an interest in having a particular course delivered via webinar or in your region, please let us know.

Expressions of Interest 2022