Update from Barnet Council on my blog "How Capita are running Hendon Cemetery into the ground"

Every so often, a blog gets an absolutely massive response. On the 29th July, I posted the below blog. I cannot recall a similar response, since we launched Friern Barnet People's Library back in April 2012, following the closure by Barnet Council. That brought 400 people out to support us and the end result was that the Library is still there. When I posted the Hendon Cemetery blog, I had people stopping me in M&S, the bar staff and members of the Services club querying it what is going on. I had emails, DM's etc. I wrote to the council. I've been told that if you actually want a sensible response, the best Conservative Councillor to contact is Peter Zinkin. As this is a matter of great importance to me (see below), I contacted Councillor Zinkin.

This is the response I received. I can only commend Councillor Zinkin and the council officers who he worked with on a very thorough response.

This response was comprehensive and displayed a degree of common sense I have not seen too often in replies from members of the administration of Barnet Council. I'm rather hoping that we are seeing a new approach to dealing with the public and local bloggers. An acknowledgement that sensible questions need sensible answers is a big step in the right direction.  

Note from Barnet officers

We have carefully considered the concerns you raise in your blog and we recognise there is justification for these concerns and would wish to apologise to any residents who have been affected on a visit to the Cemetery by the issues which you have raised. The Cemetery service recognises there are a number of actions which need to be taken to improve matters.  

 

Some actions have already been taken and some are planned over the next few months, please be assured that with staffing levels now back to full complement, colleagues are working to address issues and it is expected that the grass cutting and grounds maintenance regime will be complete by week commencing 16th August 2021.

 

In relation to the roadway, there are three main areas which have been prioritised for attention. Whilst the service has undertaken reactive repairs to sections of the route, we have been informed by the gas utility company, Cadent, that the large gas main to the crematorium requires replacing. We believe this may require 5 key excavations around the roadway. Consequently, this has required us to review the repairs programme to ensure that there is minimal disruption to Cemetery operations. The work is currently scheduled to take place during the autumn / winter and advance notice will be communicated to all relevant parties.  

 

In addition, there is a forthcoming project to replace the grounds maintenance sheds. These two projects are likely to impact the road surfaces, which once  both are completed will be assessed to deliver a more permanent repair for affected areas. 

 

The unsightly trench in area D11 (north east of the Chapel) was necessary due to flooding in this area, this has now been backfilled and made good over the weekend of 1st/2ndAugust 2021.

 

The grounds maintenance regime is closely managed to rectify outstanding landscaping problems. Unfortunately during the peak grass growing time a significant proportion of the grounds workforce was lost through illness and the legal requirement to isolate under the Covid legislation. 

 

Additional external resources were identified to support delivery; however due to the specialist nature of the work required and to avoid damage to headstones and memorials, only a limited number of contractors were available. Regretfully timescales were further compounded due to an incident resulting in stolen contractor equipment and the unpredictable weather conditions which has meant that grass has grown at a faster rate than normal.

 

Sadly, due to the impact of Covid-19 the service has supported an a significantly increased number of burials since March 2020, which has altered the existing appearance of the Cemetery. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all users whilst we work to resolve concerns and restore presentation.

 

If you would like to discuss any information further please do not hesitate to contact me. 

A meeting was arranged between myself, Councillor Zinkin and Andy Milne, the manager of the service. Andy works for RE which is the Capita/Barnet Council venture that runs cemeteries. We met last Wednesday. We had a half hour chat about the problems and I was given a guided tour. Councillor Zinkin informed me that he was responsible for building a cemetery, in his role as a senior member of a local charity. He agreed what had happened was unacceptable and the council needed to do better. It is clear to me that if the management of the cemetery was not on the coincil radar before, it was now. The harsh political reality is that Conservative administration may well get a bloody nose at next years council election if this is not sorted ASAP.  This affects residents in at least six wards, so it is in the interests of the Council to get it right. Of course we shouldn't need bloggers to write blogs to get things done, but that is the world we live in. 

So how is it looking?

Firstly, from a purely selfish perspective, the worst of the overgrown grass by my parents grave has been strimmed back.

Other graves have also had the overgrown grass cut back and are looking much better.

Although there are still rather unkempt looking areas. I've been assurred that these will get some TLC.

And my biggest concern was the Potholes. This one was huge and was a danger to elderly people who may not have great eyesight. Nearly all have been repaired. Andy explained that a couple hadn't been due to works being done as detailed above

I discussed ways to improve the cemetery. I suggested a friend of the cemetery group be formed. This would ensure that such a mess never happened again. Councillor Zinkin was not averse to this idea. He asked if I'd be prepared to chair this and I'd be more than happy. A subscription to a friends group could fund minor works, such as restoring some of the older graves by public places, who clearly have no one to mind them. No one likes seeing fallen over stones, next to the chapel etc. They could also possibly help with upkeep of graves of children, where parents are struggling to cope. 

Councillor Zinkin also suggested a plot maintenance charge, as an option, where relatives could at least pay to have the grave tended for a period, maybe 25 years. This is an option in the cemetery he is associated with and seems to work well. 

None of this is perfect. Many locals have noted that Westminster Council doesn't have the same problems, Andy Milne explained that they've had far fewer recent burials and smaller site is easier to manage.

So to summarise, the cemetery is not looking as bad as it did in late July. There are some major works that are holding up some maintenance, but it is no longer completely overgrown. The one bit of news that cheered me up was the suggestion that Capita will no longer be responsible for the administration of the Cemetery  and  the staff will TUPE back to an organisation under direct control of the Council. This is not a done deal, but I get the distinct feeling it is seen as the most pragmatic option. We should never have got to this point, but things are improving. I will be keeping a regular eye on the site. As a blogger and as the son of two amazing people buried in the cemetery, it is the least I can do. 

--------------------------------- Here is the original blog -------------------

Yesterday, I went to visit the graves of my parents and grandparenst at Hendon Cemetery. I am sorry t to say that what I saw broke my heart.  The cemetery is in an appalling state. Large swathes have been let run to rack and ruin. As you can see from this picture a large number of graves are completely overgrown.

Trees and vegetation who's roots knock over gravestones as they grow are popping up everywhere.

As for the state of the road which  you need is used to access graves, especially for elderly visitors seeing loved ones, this is absolutely rutted with deep pot holes that can damage a car suspension and tyres. It has become an obstacle course. 

Some of these are deep and botched repairs have lead to rocks being strewn across the whole carriageway. 

Even areas by the side of the road that should be easy to access are completely overgrown.

And large areas have simply been dug up with unsightly mounds of earth left. This is not a freshly dug grave, it is on one of the small roundabouts.

My Father was a war hero, a WWII Bomber pilot, who had been shot down, held POW and excaped.  He died in 1987. I've been visiting the cemetery for four decades to pay my respects. I can no longer bear to do this. Many of his friends, also war heroes are also buried in the cemetery. My maternal Grandfather who served in the trenches of the first world war is also buried here as is my mother, my grandmother, several uncles and aunts. In February, we buried my beloved cousin Theresa, who is six months younger than me and who died of covid. I had to leave as I was too upset at the sight of this awful neglect.

The cemetery used to be lovingly maintanied and visits brough calm and solace. Now I feel enraged to see how badly Barnet Council are treating our deceased loved ones, people who built the City we live in, fought for our freedom and raised us. There is a reason for this neglect. Barnet Council have contracted the running of the cemetery to Capita several years ago. These diabolical contractors see the cemetery only as a cash cow to make money. How do you make money running a cemetery? Raise charges and don't do any maintenance. The disgusting evidence is there for all to see. This is what happens when you put profits before caring for the community. 

If you care about this neglect, please write to your local councillor and tell them. You can find their details here - https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

Barnet - The council that flogged my dead granny to turn a quick buck

I never met my maternal Grandmother. She died in 1960, two years before I was born. She had undiagnosed TB and when she went in for a broncoscopy the procedure perforated the lining of her lung and she died. My sister Valerie, who loved 'Nana' remembers the day well. In those days we didn't have mobile phones. Uncle George, my mothers brother had been sent to pick her up. He was a well off builder and had a nice car. Val remembers that the family were all sitting around the dining table eating dinner (remember when we used to do that) when George walked in. He announced "They've butchered Mum". Val was seven at the time, but that day has haunted her. She didn't understand what had really happened, only that 'Nana' was gone and something horrible had happened.

Nana was laid to rest in Hendon Cemetery. All I ever heard was tales of how lovely she was. She was kind, she was a great cook and a seamstress. She'd lived in Milling Road in Burnt Oak between the second world war and 1960, the family had just bought her a house in Marion Road, Mill Hill (an area known as Poets Corner). Nana never got to move in because the work wasn't finished.

She'd had a difficult life, my Grandfather, a Dubliner, was scarred by his experiences in the first world war. He had been gassed and never properly recovered. He died prematurely in 1948, most likely as a result of his experiences.

And there the story ended, she was laid to rest and hopefully has gone on to better things. My Aunty Audrey is the only of her offspring still around. My parents are buried in the same cemetery and when we visit the graves, we do a tour and visit our parents, grandparents, aunties uncles and godparents. My former business partner and best friend Ernie Ferebee, who helped me set up the studios I run is also laid to rest in Hendon.

You may wonder what all this long, sentimental preamble is all about. Well last year, Barnet Council handed over the management of the cemetery to Capita, a private company, who see "cemetery management" as a great way to make a profit. I wondered exactly how this may manifest itself. Today we got the first clue. The Hendon Times printed the most crass, revolting article I've ever seen (and that is saying something) in any serious newspaper.

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/11186411.Unkempt_memorial_benches_to_be_destroyed/?ref=var_0

The headline states  "Unkempt memorial benches to be destroyed in Hendon Crematourium"  I read with horror the article that followed.

Benches that have been deemed "abandoned" will be removed from a crematorium unless the owners come forward. People have been given two months notice to claim benches dedicated to their loved ones at Hendon Crematorium, in Holders Hill Road. Barnet Borough Council claim many of the benches breach health and safety regulations as they are broken, have mould growing from them or are in a state of disrepair.

I simply could not believe what I was reading. You see these so called "abandoned" benches were bought by relatives of those who have passed away and given to the cemetery so that elderly mourners can have some rest and those of us a bit younger can have some contemplation time. They have not simply been dumped on the site. The council is meant to care for and maintain them. If they are broken or have mould growning on them, it is because the Council or Capita have not maintained them. The article also implies that perfectly good benches, necessary for mourners to take a rest have also been removed. It clearly doesn't occur to the plutocrats running the council or the numpties from Capita who have taken over, that many elderly mourners do not have cars. For them it may e a long walk to a grave, as the site is large, and a rest is essential. 

You may wonder why the benches are being removed. I have. The journalist writing the article clearly didn't bother to ask. Could it be to squeeze more graves in or to flog a whole load of new benches.

The article also says 

Those are in a good condition will be kept in storage until the owner comes forward to collect them. So far, 90 per cent of benches have been claimed.

Which I think is horrible. Just suppose my Aunty Audrey and the rest of the family had bought a bench in memory of Nana a few years ago. Audrey is in her eighties (sorry Aunty for spilling the beans, you only look 21!). How would she feel if she got this phonecall

"Hello, this is Giles from Capita. We are now running Hendon Cemetery on behalf of Barnet Council and our records show that you are the owner of an abandoned bench. Please come and collect it immediately otherwise we'll have to dispose of it"

Can you imagine how she would feel? I know exactly how I would feel. Interestingly enough I contacted the Leader of the Council Richard Cornelius about putting a bench in Mill Hill Park in memory of my parents a couple of years ago. No one got back to the council after I confirmed my interest. In some ways I am pleased as I think I would blow a fuse if I got that call. 

The sad truth is that Barnet have flogged off the management of the cemetery to turn a quick buck. In doing so they've disprespected every family in Barnet with a loved one in a local authority cemetery. I cannot for a second think what sort of politician could do such a thing or could let the decent people who have generously donated the benches be treated so shabbily.

I have to also ask how the Hendon Times could have such an off day, to allow such crass behaviour to go unchallenged. I will be writing to the editor to demand that a proper piece of journalism is done on this issue, which looks at the issue properly and takes account of the feelings of the people in Barnet, not the shareholders of Capita.

This is what One Barnet really means. It is all about Profit and not people. The first act of One Barnet was to sell my dead granny to turn a quick buck. I will not rest until we, the people of Barnet get her back and give her final resting place the dignity and respect it deserves.