A Paisley man has asked Scottish ministers to end the practice of flattening head stones in graveyards – dubbing the safety measure “most distressing” for families.
Des Barr, who formed the Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery group last year, addressed MSPs at last week’s meeting of the citizen participation and public petitions committee at Holyrood.
The businessman asked MSPs to review health and safety legislation which has led to local authorities toppling head stones they deem to be unsafe without any prior warning for family members.
It came just months after Renfrewshire Council toppled the headstones of several victims of the Glen Cinema disaster.
Situated amongst the 55 Glen Cinema headstones in a section of Hawkhead cemetery, they were laid flat as part of safety work across nine of the area’s cemeteries.
Council bosses later committed to hiring a monument sculptor to repair the headstones but the fight for greater consultation with families continues.
Des told the committee: “Our biggest concern is about the anxiety, the anguish and the distress. There’s so many adjectives that people have used to describe that to me.
“It is most distressing for people to turn up to visit a grave and see the headstone lying flat.
“And there is quite a number of people who just can’t believe this has happened to their member of family and they’ve not had any communication from the council directly.”
Yvonne Goldie told the Paisley Daily Express in April last year how she was “really upset” when she went to her grandparents’ grave in Hawkhead on Mother’s Day and found their headstone toppled.
Recognising the need for safety, Yvonne said the lack of contact with families was “really disrespectful”.
Des and the Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery group have since backed a petition sent to the Scottish Parliament by Dumfries and Galloway Councillor Andrew Stuart Wood.
His petition called on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to monitor and regulate actions taken by local authorities when undertaking their statutory duty of ensuring health and safety in cemeteries.
The Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery group have also been campaigning for Renfrewshire Council to stop the toppling of headstones until the Scottish Government issues regulations.
Going forward, Des says families of those buried in Hawkhead Cemetery should be contacted and told their headstone is the subject of a safety review and be given the chance to organise any repairs needed to the headstone.
Speaking after the hearing, he added: “The members of the committee seemed very receptive to our arguments and our view that things need to be done differently.
“Once the committee members finish taking evidence on the issue, I hope they will support what we are trying to achieve for people who have family and friends buried in council-run cemeteries.”
Paul O’Kane, who has backed the Hawkhead campaign and also addressed the committee, said he was delighted to welcome Des to the Scottish Parliament.
“I first came across Des as a constituent when I took a tour of Hawkhead cemetery earlier in the year,” the West Scotland Labour MSP said.
“It only takes five minutes of conversation with him to realise that he’s someone who channels his concerns and his passion for Hawkhead cemetery into action, hence why he founded his group and why you see him coming through to Holyrood to argue his case.
“I really look forward to working with Des to ensure Hawkhead Cemetery gets the care and attention it does and of course that will only come through better local government funding, something I will push the Scottish Government on.”
Don't miss the latest Renfrewshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
