Exhibition Item

The Amended Draft Cemetery Policy has been updated to provide revised standards for the administration and maintenance of Maitland City Council’s cemeteries. This policy reflects changes in organisational roles, regulatory requirements, and Council operations while ensuring respectful and effective management of cemetery sites.

The policy applies to all Council-managed cemeteries, which include operational, non-operational, and heritage-listed sites. It addresses critical areas such as:

• Interment Rights: Updated guidelines on purchasing, transferring, and managing interment rights.
• Cemetery Management: Procedures for approving monumental works, issuing licenses for cemetery-related activities, and maintaining burial registers.
• Heritage Sites: Preservation and maintenance strategies for heritage-listed cemeteries and monuments.
• Fees and Licenses: Clear provisions for administrative fees and licensing requirements for works within cemeteries.

Notable Amendments in This Draft:

• Enhancements to the maintenance and operational procedures to align with updated regulations, including the Cemeteries and Crematoria Regulation 2022.
• Revised application processes for interment rights, monumental works, and cemetery service providers, ensuring compliance with Australian Standards.
• Strengthened protections for heritage monuments, incorporating conservation management plans and National Trust guidelines.
• Inclusion of detailed responsibilities for license holders conducting cemetery-related activities.

This amended draft policy ensures the respectful handling of burial sites, interment rights, and associated activities while maintaining compliance with heritage conservation principles and relevant legislative frameworks. Public feedback is invited during the exhibition period to refine and finalise the policy.