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In the current climate of dwindling land resources, growing environmental awareness, and evolving deathcare practices - grave reuse has increasingly become a talking point for deathcare providers globally.
While here in Australia, approaches to tenure vary from region to region, bound by state regulations, some experts are proposing that grave reuse becomes the norm as a way of contending with the problem of ‘dwindling space’.
Certainly, it could be argued that the traditional model of perpetual tenure isn’t sustainable within the context of growing populations in dense cities [see the ubiquitous ‘Sydney’s burial space shortage’ headlines] - and offers a way to extend capacity and make land use more efficient.
But where there’s advocacy, there’s also public resistance, reflecting emotional and cultural sensitivities - and there’s clearly a balance to be struck between empathy and pragmatism.
South Australia, for example, already operates one of Australia’s most developed limited-tenure systems.
And this is of particular significance to PlotBox, as it’s enabled us to develop facets of our own solution to accommodate this model.
So what does this look like from a global perspective?
In England and Wales, warnings that cemeteries are running out of space, along with a rise in funeral costs are adding to the current review of legislation dating back to the Victorian era.
The catch-22 scenario created here, as described by the ICCM is local authorities having a duty of care to maintain cemeteries but no money to do this without the ability to build new cemeteries due to a lack of space.
As such, experts would like to see a commitment from the government that legislative change makes it easier to reuse graves by, “interring earlier burials deeper”; with relaxing planning restrictions for cemeteries being another potential solution.
[Source: theguardian]
In the U.S., the landscape (both literally and figuratively) currently looks different. While the reuse of a grave already with an interment is uncommon, some states do allow for a cemetery to reclaim a plot after a number of years (typically 75 or 100) - after a somewhat lengthy process.
So while tenure laws vary from country to country, jurisdiction to jurisdiction or state to state, with a growing re-contextualisation of the role of cemeteries, alongside existential issues around changes in burials practices, and dwindling space - conversations with families around grave reuse are potentially in everyone’s future.
For a real world example of what that looks like, let’s return to Australia - and South Australia (SA) specifically [where they offer one of the more developed limited tenure systems] - with most cemeteries offering interment rights for a specific period - typically 50, to a maximum of 99 years.
Where grave use is in effect n SA, there are a number of regulatory considerations that point to best practice, with some potential challenges to overcome - such as heritage checks and reasonable efforts to contact the family to provide the option to renew.
And this is why having a software solution that aids in these efforts is essential.
Plot tenure and ownership means having clarity and control over deed management. From deed expiries, to interment capacities, to transfer of ownership - it’s important to be able to view, search and manage them easily.
Why? To be able to clearly see and identify deeds that may be subject to reuse or reclamation, makes it easier to know who to contact and when.
It also provides you with the evidence that you’ve made all efforts to make contact - for example, whether an attempt to contact has failed, thus providing you with that all-important audit trail.
It’s also important to be able to create workflows ensuring that all of the required checks and balances in reclaiming the plot are made.
In practice, that may mean once you’ve generated an expiry report and selected the relevant deed, creating a ‘deed reclaim’ workflow that will create a work order for the relevant team to carry out tasks that are necessary to complete it.
Having a clear, real time view of your plot status, in conjunction with having a good handle on deed ownership, can also help to ensure that unexercised interment rights are being turned into inventory for purchase.
Plots purchased well in the past, lying vacant are easily overlooked - now they can be entered back into stock with the right to reclaim.
Whether grave reuse is in the here and now for you or not, the ability to manage your deeds and your inventory more effectively will ultimately help to sustain your long-term growth and sustainability.
For more, visit www.plotbox.com
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