LEGACY PLOT RESERVATION MANAGEMENT POLICY · Report

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING                                                               9 JUNE 2026


Link to Corporate Plan
Theme No. 2 - Liveability
Liveability encompasses housing, facilities and services, transport, health and wellbeing to enable
an inclusive, connected and vibrant community.
Objective 2.6: Ensure community facilities and services are inclusive, accessible and meet the
evolving needs and interests of residents across the shire.
Objective 2.7: Fund and deliver sustainable assets and facilities and associated services responding
to the changing needs of the community and the challenges and opportunities of the future.




Previous Council Consideration
Nil.


Finance
Adopting this policy will result in upfront administrative and communication costs associated with
stakeholder engagement, records review, and implementation activities. These costs are expected
to be offset over time by financial and operational benefits. The reallocation of unused plots will
improve utilisation of existing cemetery assets, generate additional burial and cremation revenue,
and defer the need for future expenditure on land acquisition and development.

Provision has also been made for the potential consideration of limited refunds in cases where
interment rights holders provide sufficient evidence of original payment; however, such instances
are expected to be minimal and will be managed within existing operational budgets.


Risk & Opportunities
Opportunities
•      Improves burial availability at Tewantin Cemetery, where capacity has been reached, without
       acquiring new land.
•      Ensures fair and equitable access to burial and ashes plots by returning long-unused plots to
       active use.
•      Supports long-term, sustainable management of Council owned cemetery land across all site.
•      Improves the accuracy and integrity of cemetery records over time through the review and
       validation process. Before implementing the policy, Council will undertake a targeted community
       awareness program and ensure consistent application through staff training and guidance.
Risks
•      Difficulty contacting plot holders or their legal decision makers due to incomplete or outdated
       historical records. Generous notification periods and a safety net have been incorporated to
       mitigate this.
•      Reputational risk to Council if the policy is not clearly communicated or applied consistently.
       Council will undertake a targeted community awareness program and ensure consistent
       application through staff training and guidance.
•      Potential for disputes between family members or claims from lawful successors. This risk is
       mitigated through clear evidence requirements, defined processes, and adherence to principles
       of procedural fairness.