More cash should be spent on maintaining West Devon’s closed churchyards as they are below the standard expected by communities, claims a local councillor.

Cllr Robert Oxborough (Ind, Mary Tavy) told West Devon Borough Council’s audit and governance committee Mary Tavy’s parochial church council was “dissatisfied” over the condition of the closed churchyard.

He said the borough council’s budget for ground maintenance was “relatively low” and should be raised.

The council has a statutory duty to look after churchyards closed to new burials. Mary Tavy churchyard new and closed burial areas are maintained by the parish council.

Cllr Oxborough said the borough council was “doing the bare minimum” and suggested considered that some of its annual surplus of cash could be used on churchyard maintenance.

Committee members raised concerns that there was not much movement in council annual £12m reserve, including grants for capital projects and there would be movement over the next three years.

Cllr Oxborough said after the meeting it was likely closed churchyards maintenance would be devolved to parish councils or other groups under local government reorganisation.

A spokesperson for Mary Tavy Parish Council said churches may ask a parish council to take on responsibility for a closed churchyard,  but if a parish council declines, it passes to the district council as part of a legal process. 

‘Mary Tavy Parish Council resolved not to take on responsibility for the churchyard paths when the churchyard closed, nor does it have any duty to take on it on  – St Mary’s Church passed this directly to West Devon Borough Council, they said.

‘This includes both the section from the church entrance gate to the church and that which goes from the church door through the closed graveyard to the current cemetery, which is the property of the parish council.’

Mary Tavy Parochial Church Council declined to comment.