Daughter 'disgusted' as dad's grave 'flattened'

A woman from Walsall said she was "disgusted" after raised edging and a mound of soil were removed from her father's grave.

"My dad's mound has been flattened. That is a disgrace, that has really upset me. It's shocking, very emotional, very hurt by what I've seen," Shazia Kausar said.

She is one of many locals in dispute with Walsall Council over rules around graves at Streetly Cemetery.

The council said its policy was not targeted at one group and families were given time to act before items are removed.

Kausar added: "What have they done to my dad's grave? It's a disgrace from the council. Don't you see what you're doing? Don't you see how emotionally impacted on us?

"Don't they respect our religion? Our religion says it's got to have a mound.

"The message Walsall Council is giving me is, 'we're not bothered about your feelings, about how you feel'."

A dispute between local families and Walsall council has lasted since 2019, when the authority won a legal case against a man who wanted to install a marble edge around his father's grave.

The families said such raised edgings around graves along with mounds of soil were used to stop people from walking on the burial sites.

The council has been carrying out routine inspections and safety checks across cemeteries since February.

Work to remove "unauthorised grave surrounds and borders" was part of a "long-standing" approach to cemetery regulations to keep them fair and consistent, a spokesperson said.

Campaigner Mehboob Matloob, whose brother is buried at the cemetery, said: "A couple of a weeks ago they started enforcing, we got calls from relatives to say the flower-beds and edging, had been taken off.

"The question is, after seven years, you've decided to enforce something that you could have enforced from day one?"

Others with relatives buried in the cemetery claimed there had been little communication from the council.

Imran Ahmed's uncle was buried at the cemetery in 2023: "The fact is we weren't made aware. We still haven't had a letter come through to us.

"I'm hearing from other people that they have had letters, were given 28 days and I'm just dreading this letter coming."

Councillor Elaine Williams, leader of the council, said, "The council has a duty to ensure all cemeteries are safe, accessible and maintained consistently for everyone who visits.

"This is not a new policy, and it is not targeted at any one group.

"Where graves do not comply with the regulations, families are contacted and given time to act before any items are removed.

"It is important that residents are reassured that the council is applying the same rules fairly, consistently and respectfully, and in accordance with the law."

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