Bereavement Services
General Information on Bereavement Services

Contact:
By e-mail: Contact Bereavement Services
By phone: Galashiels (01896) 753856
By fax: Galashiels (01896) 753782
By letter: Cemeteries Office, Scottish Borders Council, Heatheryett Cemetery, Galashiels TD1 2JL
Manager:
Mr Robert Mathison
General Service Statistics:
- Maintains 147 Cemeteries and Churchyards
- Carries out 850 to 900 interments a year
Principal Role:
Maintenance of churchyards, public interment, maintenance of burial records, identifying and procuring land for interments.
Impact on Public Safety:
Headstone Restoration Programme - Survey headstones for stability and re-instate to make safe where necessary. Re-instatement programme for sunken graves - Rolling programme for period of time after burial to maintain level surface on grave
Principal Documents:
- Council Corporate Plan
- Environmental Services Business Plan
- Code of Safe Working Practices for Cemeteries formulated by The Institute of Burial and Cremation Administration
- Schedule of fees and charges
Principal Legislation:
- Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
- Burial Grounds Scotland Act 1855
- Church of Scotland Property & Endowments Act 1925
- The Cremation Act 1902 amended by Cremation (Scotland) Regulations 1952
- Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965
Performance Measures
None at present
Part of Technical Services Division:
Head of Service:
Mr John Byford
Administrative, Professional, Technical & Clerical Employees:
5
Manual Employees:
Equivalent to 15½ full time staff
Useful links
Burial; information on finding a funeral director, coffin, mason, or home burials and graves.
Arranging a burial without a funeral director.
Fees and charges for burial services.
Useful information such as support organisations and governing bodies.
When somebody dies; guidance on what needs to be done.
FAQ; Frequently asked questions about Burials, Cemeteries and Funerals.








