ILMINSTER Town Council has been branded
“appalling” and “despicable” after telling residents
ornaments and shrubs on graves in the cemetery
will be banned by the end of March.
In a letter sent out just before Christmas, the
council said the aim is to keep the cemetery tidy
and respectful.
The letter states: “The open space team will
remove flowers and wreaths when they notice
they have perished, and, in accordance with the
rules and regulations, artificial flowers will be
removed after three months.
“Therefore, tributes placed at Christmas time
will be removed at the end of March.

“We would also draw your
attention to the rules regarding
shrubs, ornaments etc and ask
that you remove such items by the
end of March, and advise that any
remaining at that time will be
removed and disposed of.”
One Ilminster resident with a
relative buried at the cemetery
told the News the letter was
“appalling” and it was crass to
send it out before Christmas.
The resident, who did not wish
to be named, said: “It’s pretty rich
of them to say it’s to keep the
cemetery tidy.
“I’ve been there when the grass
has been a foot high and they
make ridiculous excuses about
not being able to cut it.”
Ilminster councillor Carol Goodall,
who chairs the open spaces
committee, said there was no
desire on the part of the town
council to cause upset.
She said: “The regulations sent
out with the letter carry the same
information as what’s on the
notice board.
“I’ve spoken to a number of residents
who expressed upset after
receiving the letter and they’ve
understood what we’ve said.
“On many occasions we’ve had
people leaving wreaths, and when
the flowers die the wire remains,
and if it isn’t disposed of it can
get caught in the machinery we
use and damage it.
“We’ve had some people thanking
us for reminding them of the
regulations.
“We want to ensure that the
graves are kept to a respectable
standard for families, but we need
them to help us with that.
“We have no desire to ask relatives
to remove things – it’s just
that when the grass gets cuts it
means moving the ornaments and
then putting them back, which
costs us.
“It’s distressing that some residents
have been distressed by this
letter.”
The resident went on: “There’s
no problem with dated Christmas
wreaths and dead flowers being
removed – that makes sense – but
many people place small ornaments
at gravesides, and many
items cost pensioners and children
a lot of money.
“What will little children think
if their angels or little toys have
been removed from their mother’s
or grandmother’s grave?
“This is despicable – the fact
that the guidelines were already
there has probably never been
known by most people who visit.
“These items provide colourful,
more lasting tributes for people
and their loved ones, and the council
should leave personal tributes
where they’re placed as long as
they don’t obstruct grass cutting.”