Campaigners call for Derbyshire councils to waive burial search fees for war casualties
Derbyshire councils have been asked to waive burial record search fees relating to Commonwealth war casualties during a rallying call to all local authorities.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the In From The Cold Project (IFCP) and MP Samantha Niblett have called on councils to consider waiving the fees as Derbyshire and the UK honoured fallen servicemen and women during Remembrance and Armistice ceremonies.
Matt Boughton, Safer and Stronger Communities Board Chair at the Local Government Association, which is supporting the campaign, said: “Preserving the links between local communities and those who served and died in conflict is an important part of ensuring future generations continue to understand and remember their sacrifice.
“While often modest, charges for record searches can present an additional barrier to organisations trying to identify the final resting places of service personnel.
“Lifting these charges where they relate to service personnel, which many councils have already done, is a good way to help ensure those who lost their lives in service receive the recognition and commemoration they deserve.”
Local authority burial records can be the only official evidence of where a casualty was buried in the UK and access to these records enables theCWGC and theIFCP to identify original grave locations so they can be appropriately marked and protected for future generations.
Around two thirds of councils already provide these searches free of charge, according to campaigners, but some charge around £25 and sometimes considerably more with fees payable even when a search does not locate a grave.
Chesterfield Borough Council, NE Derbyshire District Council, High Peak Borough Council, South Derbyshire District Council and Old Bolsover Town Council are among local authorities thought to charge for burial record searches.
High Peak Borough Council starts charging at £27 per half hour for grave search records.
Chesterfield Borough Council charges £8 per name for bereavement services to locate family graves.
Some parish councils which run burial grounds are also among the councils to charge fees.
Although charging affects roughly 100 cases a year, researchers and volunteers have to pay for fees which can prevent individual cases from progressing.
TheLGA recognises that charging decisions are made independently by councils, acting within their powers under the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977.
MP SamanthaNiblett said: “Last May I was invited by Shelly Lynn and JoanneAbassi, two In from the Cold Project volunteers, to visit the Commonwealth War Graves site in CastleGresley, in my constituency of South Derbyshire.
“I was moved by the dedication and diligence that the volunteers took to ensure all of the fallen have a marked Commonwealth War Grave.
“A passing comment about charges by councils which were paid out of the volunteer’s own pockets sent me and my team off in conversation with the Local Government Association to see if we could seek agreement from local authorities to waive these fees in these special circumstances.”
Given the small number of requests each year and the limited cost to authorities, campaigners are encouraging councils to consider waiving fees for these searches.
They hope this will promote a consistent approach to local authority charging and help theCWGC to fulfil its Royal Charter mission to correctly commemorate Commonwealth war casualties.
Richard Hills, Director of Commemorations at theCWGC, said: “Every Commonwealth war casualty deserves to be properly commemorated.
“In many cases, local authority burial records provide the vital evidence needed to identify and protect a casualty’s final resting place.
“We are grateful to the Local Government Association for its support on this issue and to the many local authorities that already waive burial record search fees for requests relating to Commonwealth war casualties.
“We hope this guidance will help create greater consistency across the UK and, ultimately, enable more servicemen and women who gave their lives during the two World Wars to be commemorated at their known resting place with the recognition they deserve.”
The campaign aims to ensure that those who died in service are properly commemorated for their sacrifice.
Councils are legally permitted to charge for burial record searches but are not required to do so.
The campaign is asking councils to use their discretion to consider waiving fees for requests from the CWGC and the IFCP relating to Commonwealth war casualties.
NE Derbyshire District Council marked Armistice Day by placing ‘Unknown Tommy’ silhouettes in Killamarsh, Dronfield, Eckington and Clay Cross sports centres as a reminder of the fallen and in honour of those who continue to serve.
Terry Denham OBE, co-founder of the In From the Cold Project, said: “We are grateful to all those authorities who happily co-operate with our investigations without charge, but occasionally our volunteers are asked for payment regardless of the outcome.
“It is our hope that local authorities will choose to waive the funds, which while small can present a significant barrier to volunteers, to help remember the ultimate sacrifice made by our forebears on behalf of the nation.”
Chesterfield Borough Council, NE Derbyshire District Council, High Peak Borough Council, Old Bolsover Town Council and South Derbyshire District Council were all approached for comments.