FAQs
- Requirements for plaques and headstones.
- Strategic context - alignment with the Act, Bylaw and existing Council regulations.
- Connections to relevant Council websites and documents to assist customers with their requests.
- Specifics on bookings, urns, caskets, purchasing of plots, interments, memorial installation and maintenance, special conditions, nuisances, alcohol ban area, signs, photography and filming, forms and other operational information.
- Activities and Conduct in Cemeteries
- Prohibited activities
- Promotional Activities
- Cemetery Administration
- Appoint of Sextons and Cemetery Administrators
- Permission to carry out monumental masonry work
- Enforcement
Why do we need a Bylaw and Guidelines?
The Invercargill City Council needs a Bylaw to create a strong framework around management of essential services to the community.
The Guidelines have been developed to provide more level of detail to support the Bylaw when making decisions on the current and future management for cemeteries and the crematorium. With a changing demographic within the community we need to be ensuring this information is considered through service level requirements and management processes for future community needs.
What is the difference between Guidelines and Bylaw?
Guidelines: The Guidelines provide the greater level of detail required for the day to day operation of the Cemeteries and Crematorium. Whilst not an exhaustive list, the below list highlights what information has been removed from the Bylaw and included in the Guidelines;
Bylaw: the proposed 2022 Bylaw contains the following types of strategic information and conditions;
Does this apply to all cemeteries?
Yes this will apply to all cemeteries and the crematorium owned by the Invercargill City Council – St Johns, Bluff, Greenpoint, Eastern Cemetery and the Southland Crematorium.
William Stirling Cemetery is recognised as a historic reserve and will be managed specific to the purposes under the Reserves Act which will be separately enforced to the other cemeteries.
Will this result in a change in the Fees and Charges schedule?
Fees and Charges are updated through the Annual Plan process each year. so they may change in the future, but not as a result of the Bylaw and Guidelines.
What are the timeframes from this consultation?
Consultation will take place between 11 July and 12 August. Following any changes required as a result of consultation, it is intended that the Bylaw and Guidelines will be brought before Council for adoption on 27 September to become operational on 1 November 2022.
How do I make a submission?
The easiest way is to use the survey link that can be found at letstalk.icc.govt.nz/cemetery-and-crematorium-bylaw-and-guidelines. Alternatively, you can mail in a submission form or drop one off to the Council Civic Administration Building in Esk Street, the Public Library or the Bluff Service Centre. You can also email the Strategy and Policy Team at policy@icc.govt.nz
Post: Submission – Cemeteries and Crematorium Bylaw and Guidelines
Invercargill City Council
Private Bag 90104
Invercargill 9840
Can I talk to the Mayor and Councillors about this proposal?
Hearings are currently set down for 6 September 2022. While the opportunity to speak to your submission as part of this process is not legally required, Councillors are interested in hearing from you, if you would like to share your views orally.