A funeral director has expressed his anger following a Moray Council proposal that would make major changes to funeral arrangements.
A notification was sent to Funeral Directors last week that said alterations would mean that there would only be four interments per day across Moray.
The times will allow two interments at 10.40am and another two at 1.10pm. It was set to come into effect on March 1.
The interments refer to the time of arrival at the cemetery.
However, the council has now agreed to temporarily postpone the implementation of these changes until a consultation takes place with funeral directors.
Elgin Community Council and Lossiemouth Community Council has written to the council voicing their concerns about the lack of consultation to the changes.
Philip McLean, of Frank S. McLean and Son, says that the changes will be ‘tragic’ for families and celebrants.
He noted the early slot of 10.40am as a particular problem as it would create “huge delays” in interments.
The early slot would also mean that families could have to arrive at the service for 8am.
A post on the Frank S. McLean and Son Facebook page has since garnered more than 300 comments and 150 shares.
Funeral directors share fears with council over times
When Mr McLean received the news from the council via email on January 22, he called Moray Council.
After voicing his reservations and concerns to them, he received a response later in the afternoon that said it was decided that the decision would be postponed.
Philip said: “It isn’t going to work for families and it’s completely unfair.
“There will be a huge delay in interments.
“It’s going to be tragic.”
Usually, the funeral directors call the cemetery and ask for times available.
Though now, if there is to be only two times available, it is set to be “incredibly limiting”.
With the 10.40am slot, families could be there from as early as 8am.
For example, Mr McLean added, a family could be travelling from Edinburgh which means they’d have to leave from the city at around 4am.
Early morning slot means some mourners may be greeted at 8am
He noted that the two services in the afternoon would be taken up “very quickly”.
He said “practically no one” will decide to use the morning slot.
In addition, he said the decision would have a “heavy impact” on celebrants as well as families.
Speaking about the reaction to their post on Facebook, he said: “I wanted to give the public a voice so I put a post up on Facebook.
“Our staff are totally dedicated to the service.
“I’ve been working as a director for 48 years.”
Joe Dawsons Funeral Home in Buckie posted to Facebook that although most often only four burials are allowed per day, the times that are now proposed are “impractical.”
They said: “Moray Council have generally been working this way for some time now, most often only allowing four burials as they moved towards this restructure but the proposed times they look to implement, are impractical and we feel, unsympathetic at best.”
It has also been said that there was no consultation with members of the public or funeral directors before the notification was sent out.
No prior consultation to changes
Elgin Community Council chairman Alistair Kennedy, said the community council was ‘shocked’ to see the decision.
They have published a statement voicing their concerns.
“This is something that’ll probably affect everyone in Moray to some extent,” Alistair said to the Press and Journal.
“We were rather shocked when we saw it.
‘Final council decision’ now taking place after talks with funeral directors
Funeral director Philip McLean spoke with the council after the notification and voiced his reservations to the change.
Moray Council has now agreed to temporarily postpone the implementation until a consultation takes place with funeral directors.
In a message from the council to funeral directors, seen by the Press and Journal, it said: “I am writing to inform you that before implementing the fixed booking times, we will undertake further dialogue with funeral directors to seek your views on the proposed times.
“Fixed bookings will still be introduced but not on the March 1 2025.
“The intention is to introduce these from the March 31 2025.
“Upon reviewing the information received, as well as the operational needs of the service, a decision will be made on the most appropriate morning and afternoon booking time.”
A Moray Council spokesperson said: “A final decision on the times for funeral interments will be made shortly after the council has had further dialogue with Funeral Directors.”
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