Home Affairs Correspondent
Muslim families in Blackburn are challenging maintenance standards and restrictions on grave decorations at Pleasington Cemetery, prompting their MP to press the council over upkeep and enforcement of its rules.
Adnan Hussain, MP for Blackburn, said on October 14 that he had spent the past year hearing from families about the condition of graves and what they described as inconsistent enforcement of restrictions in the cemetery’s lawned sections.
“I understand the distress caused by the condition of the grounds, the maintenance of individual graves, the restrictions on what families may place on graves and what residents believe has been inconsistent enforcement,” Hussain said in an update to residents.
He identified two main issues: maintenance of the cemetery extension, particularly the Blossom section, and restrictions on grave decorations in the newer Olive section.
“I have repeatedly pressed the council to meet its responsibilities, including maintaining the lawned areas, reinstating graves and ensuring the site is kept to a respectful standard,” he said.
“Families cannot reasonably be expected to follow the rules if the council is not seen to be keeping its side of the arrangement.”
The dispute over grave decorations dates back to at least 2023, when mosque representatives sought more time to discuss proposed restrictions with Blackburn with Darwen Council.
A report published in April that year said 16 mosque representatives had requested an extension to the consultation period. Discussions covered grave mounds, kerb surrounds, flowers, trees and memorial displays.
The council announced that the Olive section would prohibit temporary structures and the planting of trees or shrubs, although flowers could still be placed on graves. The rules differ from those applying to the older Muslim burial section.
On July 17, 2023, Saimah Arshad launched a petition calling for the restrictions to be relaxed. She said her father’s nameplate and grave border had been removed within weeks of his burial that June.
The petition page displays 937 verified signatures.
Hussain said the restrictions had been agreed by the council before he became an MP and that he lacked the authority to overturn them.
“My office is entirely separate from the council, and I do not have the power to overturn a council policy,” he said.
“Any decision to review or change these rules must be taken by the council through its own democratic processes.”
He added that local councillors could scrutinise the policy and represent residents, while he had challenged the council over what he described as inconsistent enforcement.
In response, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council said it remained committed to maintaining Pleasington Cemetery as a respectful and well-kept environment.
Tony Watson, the council’s director of environment and resident services, said maintenance took place throughout the year across the extension, including the Blossom and Olive sections.
This included grass cutting, litter removal, reinstating graves following burials where required, and managing planting and landscaping.
“Due to the planning permissions surrounding these lawned areas of the cemetery, large or distracting items on or around the graves, including trees and surrounds, have never been permitted,” Watson said.
He said the council informed grave deed holders of the rules through information provided to families, cemetery signs and its website.
“We recognise items left on graves will have personal meaning for families so any items that require removal is done as sensitively as possible with grave deed holders made aware,” he said.
The dispute comes as the borough faces a shortage of burial space. At its October 8 meeting, the council’s Executive Board considered plans to progress a proposed extension at Lower Fold Farm.
A council report said Pleasington Cemetery was the borough’s only cemetery accepting new burials, accommodating approximately 400 annually, with existing capacity forecast to be exhausted around 2028.
The proposed extension would provide about 4,000 additional burial plots, securing an estimated further 15 years of burial provision.
The board endorsed progressing the planning application and associated approvals, alongside engagement with the Environment Agency and consultation with local communities and faith groups. The proposal remains subject to the relevant approval processes.
Hussain said he would continue raising Muslim families’ concerns with the relevant authorities.
