Mr X said that the Council told him that his mother could be buried in the same grave as his father. However, on the day before his mother’s funeral, he was advised this was not possible and he had to make alternative arrangements.
The Ombudsman found that the Council had made an administrative error when it advised Mr X that his mother could be buried in the same grave. The Council had apologised and had taken appropriate action to avoid a recurrence. Given the impact of this error on Mr X, it also agreed to write to him within 20 working days to offer to: 1. Pay any additional storage costs for his mother’s headstone, should it not be able to be replaced within the original 6 month period expected.
2. Waive the Council’s fees for exhumation of his parents.
3. Waive the Council’s fees for a second burial of his parents.
4. Refund Mr X the additional charge for the new grave, should it be possible for a grave to be reclaimed by the Council.
The Council supplied evidence to suggest that Mr X’s father’s grave was dug to a 1 grave depth on the request of the Funeral Directors. The Ombudsman therefore found that the Council’s actions had been reasonable in that respect.