Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery is keen to avoid a “turf war” with Renfrewshire Council and has called for cooperation between the two moving forward.

The pressure group outlined the thinking behind its petition, which had called for an end to the contentious policy of “toppling” headstones at local authority graveyards, to officials and elected members earlier this week.

The plea, which gathered more than 1,500 signatures, asked the council to investigate alternative methods to laying headstones flat and address the upset caused to the families of those who have passed.

FOHC in June (Image: Newsquest)

Karin Pointon, who spoke on the group’s behalf at the petitions board on Monday, said: “Since we presented Renfrewshire Council with our petition back in June 2024, there have been two ILE [infrastructure, land and environment] board meetings at which there should have been ample time to raise and discuss this important subject.

“Only Councillor Iain Nicolson, leader of Renfrewshire Council, has raised the question of memorial safety. We’ve not heard one opposition voice.

“Bin collections, parking tickets and budget overspends have all been discussed, among other things.

“This issue is as big a scandal as the bungled Dargavel Primary will ever be but there’s been nothing but silence, all in the name of health and safety.”

The council has insisted any decision to lay flat is only made in relation to headstones which are assessed as “posing a risk” to the health and safety of staff or members of the public.

This position was relayed by officers at the meeting as they addressed a number of areas of research carried out by Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery as part of the petition.

Summing up, Ms Pointon said: “I could only emphasise how important it is that we both work on a collaborative process to make sure that our cemeteries are of fit and safe purpose for people coming to visit their loved ones.

“We certainly do not want a turf war in any shape or fashion.

“We’re looking to work with you – rather than against you – so we would really appreciate if there could be some active dialogue moving forward.”

Gavin Hutton, the council’s head of operations and service development, thanked Ms Pointon and promised to work more closely with the group.

He said: “I think that would be good for everybody and it could benefit all sides.

“Our big thing has always been the safety of the visitors and the workers within the cemetery but obviously you’re quite right and identified that there is another side to that and we’ve maybe not been as strong there as we should be.

“As the head of the service, I’ll give you my word that that’s what we’ll do. We’ll engage more with you.”

The local authority confirmed its nine cemeteries have all been completed in the first round of memorial safety inspections.

This followed the Scottish Government’s publication of guidance in 2019 after the death of eight-year-old boy Ciaran Williamson when a headstone fell on him at Craigton Cemetery in Cardonald, Glasgow, in 2015.

On its website, Renfrewshire Council explains: “All work will be carried out as sensitively and respectfully as possible.

“It is unfortunately not possible to reach lair owners in advance of an inspection and work being carried out, but marker notices and signage at each cemetery are in place to provide lair holders with information to contact us for details on how to ensure their memorial meets the required safety standards.”

Campaigner Des Barr, who formed Friends of Hawkhead Cemetery in 2022, handed the group’s petition into the council in June of this year.

“What we hope this petition will do is help highlight the feeling in the community on this matter,” he said at the time.

“What I want them to do is think twice about this, stop and think about if this is correct.”

At the meeting this week, councillors agreed the subject should be referred to the relevant director or policy board for further investigation.