Public Health Funerals

The Council will arrange a Public Health funeral where it is clear that, without the intervention of the Council, no funeral would take place.

The funeral will be conducted by the Council’s nominated funeral directors only. Where a deceased person is under the care of a second funeral director, arrangements will be made to transfer the deceased to the Council’s nominated funeral director.

The funeral will normally be a burial in rotation plot at Retford Road Cemetery in Worksop. By virtue of being a rotation plot, no fixed memorial will be permitted.

If it is clear to the Council that the deceased wished to be cremated, then a cremation will be arranged at Mansfield Crematorium, or another Crematorium at the Council’s discretion. In such a case the normal practice will be for the ashes to be scattered in the grounds of the crematorium. However, if relatives or friends wish to scatter the ashes elsewhere, the ashes may, at the Council’s discretion, be released to an appropriate person providing that the Council is not aware that anybody disagrees to this arrangement.

No facilities will be made available for viewing the deceased at a chapel of rest. The deceased will not be embalmed unless deemed necessary by the Council.

A simple funeral will be arranged by the Council, including a simple coffin, a shroud and a small floral display. A single hearse will be provided together with pall bearers who will attend the cemetery or crematorium. The hearse will proceed directly from the funeral directors to the cemetery or crematorium without, for example, driving past the deceased home.

The time and date of the funeral will be arranged at the discretion of the Council, but some flexibility will be given to allow, for example, the elderly or disabled to attend the funeral. Those wishing to attend the funeral will make their own travel arrangements to and from the cemetery or crematorium. The Council will not provide additional funeral cars.

If relatives, friends, carers or neighbours wish to attend the funeral, then a suitable Minister or other celebrant will be appointed at the Council’s ultimate discretion, but based on the likely wishes of the deceased, or advice from those who wish to attend the funeral.

If there is nobody who wishes to attend the funeral, the burial or cremation will take place without a formal ceremony, although the pall bearers and any Council staff in attendance will stand for a few moments at the grave side in quiet contemplation. Where a ceremony is to take place, the ceremony for a burial will take place at the grave side. The ceremony for a cremation will take place within the chapel adjoining the crematorium, which will be booked for this purpose.

Should friends or relatives wish there to be a separate or additional ceremony, for example a church mass, this will be arranged by the relatives or friends independently of the Council’s arrangements and will be conducted entirely separately to the Council’s own arrangements.

A dataset showing information on funerals paid for by Bassetlaw District Council when the estate of the deceased person or the relatives of the deceased person do not have sufficient funds to cover the cost.

Under the Public Health Act 1984 the Council has a duty to fund a funeral if there are no next of kin or family who can be traced or if once traced they do not have sufficient funds or the inclination to fund a funeral.