Fife Council take action after 'very sad' event in graveyard

It's being knocked down to avoid any prospect of a repeat, while councillors also heard that, despite the "mindless desecration" that's happened more than once at the babies memorial in the graveyard, there will be no extra security measures.

Alan Paul, head of property services, told the City of Dunfermline area committee: "We did have a very sad instance earlier this year of someone dying in one of our cemeteries, in one of the outbuildings at Dunfermline.

"We're in the process of removing these outbuildings at the moment as they're no longer used, and to ensure that we avoid repetition of that sort of experience."

The babies memorial in Dunfermline Cemetery was targeted by vandals in September of this year. Obscenities and graffiti were also daubed on the monument and other headstones in 2021. (Image: Newsquest)

He raised the issue during a report on future cemetery provision in the city and also slammed the idiots who have, on more than one occasion, defaced and vandalised the memorial for babies in Dunfermline Cemetery.

Asked if there were any measures the council could take to beef up security - there was also a fire there earlier this month - Mr Paul said: "The anti-social behaviour that we've seen in some cemeteries throughout Fife, and unfortunately a number of repeat examples in Dunfermline, I would call mindless desecration.

"That might be a very strong label but that's probably how I see it.

"There's no excuse for desecrating baby memorials or the desecration that we've seen, for example, at Commonwealth war graves.

"That's unacceptable."

Sickening obscenities and graffiti were daubed on the babies memorial and headstones in April 2021 and green paint was thrown over the monument, which is in place to remember infants that have passed away at childbirth, in September.

However he continued: "Cemeteries should be open and welcome and the last thing we would wish to do is deter people from visiting.

"And that probably means we rely heavily on passive supervision. There's limited opportunity to go beyond that.

"When we have had instances we've tried to immediately respond and arrange for any damage to be addressed.

"Usually that's in two stages; removal of graffiti or other messages and if there's any lasting damage we arrange for that to be made good and we meet the cost of that.

"I wish there was a better response I could offer but the reality is there's no magic wand and what we need to do is encourage responsible behaviour."

READ MORE: We're running out of space to bury the dead, say Fife Council

Councillors also heard that, while capacity isn't an immediate problem at Dunfermline, a new cemetery "will need to be identified and safeguarded within future local development plans".

The current site is landlocked, there's no option for further expansion and pre-sales of lairs have already been stopped to prolong the capacity of the cemetery which "is now touching 20 years".

Mr Paul added: "While provision in Dunfermline Cemetery is not as pressurised as it is in some other communities in Fife, nonetheless, looking over the horizon clearly we need to consider the long term provision of burial space for the city."

Committee convener, Cllr James Calder, said: "It's important to make sure this is being looked at sooner rather than later so we're not in a situation in a few years time where it's becoming extremely urgent."