Relatives tending to graves at a Coatbridge cemetery have hit out at its overgrown condition and are demanding action after making their own moves to tame the weeds and grass.
Councillors say they have had “a number of complaints” about the appearance of Old Monkland cemetery – with some visitors taking their own gardening equipment and even resorting to using scissors to improve the environment.
North Lanarkshire officials say that poor weather plus “high levels of growth” have both impacted the Kirkshaws graveyard this year, but that additional resources are being put into its maintenance and that visitors will soon see improvements.
Coatbridge resident Ernie Rea told how he was “shocked” by the condition of the cemetery when he was able to visit for the first time in several weeks after recovering from surgery, and spoke of “the lack of respect shown to families and the graves of their loved ones”.
He said: “The difference [in that time] was shocking – there were family members visibly weeding in and around headstones, and some weeds and nettles were three feet in height.”
Ernie was joined on a visit to the Woodside Street cemetery by Coatbridge North councillor Alex McVey, who even measured the size of some of the unwanted grass and weeds near headstones.
The Labour representative said: “Ernie’s story stood out for me, but it’s a concern for everyone and constituents are phoning about it – the condition of the cemetery isn’t acceptable to anybody and quite a few are saying they feel embarrassed about its condition.
“Extra budget funding was allocated this year to keep cemeteries in good condition but we’re in the height of summer and there’s no evidence of that so far; there are huge weeds and people are even using scissors to cut the grass round headstones. There needs to be a good, regular programme of maintenance.”
He added: “This is sheer incompetence from the new SNP administration. I have raised this issue in the past few weeks, as have a number of other councillors and residents; they need to get a grip of this situation without any further delay.”
Councillor McVey has written to council chief executive Des Murray about the issue and is arranging a meeting with cemetery management staff; and also queried the availability of suitable equipment.
He suggested that required machinery is currently undergoing servicing and repair work after heavy use for last year’s additional one-off grass-cutting programme to tackle overgrown areas across North Lanarkshire – but council officials insist that “adequate strimming equipment [is] available”.
Mark Griffin, the Central Scotland Labour MSP, said: “Instead of excuses or more delays, local people are looking for action; I urge the council to do what is necessary to ensure that no cemetery in North Lanarkshire is beset with overgrown grass, nettles or weeds.”
Fulton MacGregor, the Coatbridge MSP, has also written to the council on constituents’ behalf and posted on Facebook: “I have received several queries about the general condition and maintenance of Old Monkland Cemetery – I understand how upsetting this must be for families.
“The response I received to queries regarding the upkeep of Old Monkland Cemetery indicates there should be imminent improvement and I hope that families will notice this soon. Local councillors across Coatbridge are also very much on top of this issue.”
Residents replied with their experiences of visiting the graveyard in recent weeks, calling its condition “upsetting” and “a disgrace” and with several noting that they had taken action to cut back grass and weeds at their loves ones’ resting places.
Fortnightly cuts are carried out from April until September, and a council spokesperson told Lanarkshire Live: “A wet start to the grass-cutting season caused some delays in applying pesticide and edge strimming in our cemeteries, but work is ongoing to complete this.
“Additional resources have been required at Old Monkland cemetery because of high levels of growth and visitors will now start to see an improvement in the condition around headstones and path edges.”
The authority adds that long grass may remain where ornaments are placed around a grave meaning vegetation cannot safely be cut back, with families being asked to keep such items within 12 inches of the headstone to allow maintenance to be carried out.
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