A TWEEDDALE representative says the council will try to contact “all the relatives” involved as the next phase of headstone safety checks draw closer.

As reported by this newspaper, Scottish Borders Council (SBC) will be carrying out the tests in graveyards across the region next year.

During the 2019 inspection, 700 headstones were toppled in St Andrews Cemetery sparking outrage in the community.

It was revealed at a meeting of Peebles Community Council last month that SBC officers will be trying to contact relatives, as the local authority says it did during the previous phase of testing.

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This has been disputed by local man David Brunton, who, in a freedom of information request, claims he received a response from SBC stating that “it did not contact lair holders”.

At this month’s meeting, community councillor Peter Maudsley said: “We are all aware of the distress that this caused back in 2019, and I don’t think anyone would deny at this time that it’s crucial to get the job done correctly.”

Independent Tweeddale East councillor Robin Tatler has confirmed that relatives will be able to get their own monumental stonemason to carry out work on headstones ahead of testing.

He added: “I want to absolutely make sure that this process is dealt with as well as it possibly can for the relatives who’ve got gravestones in the cemetery. So what we will be doing is establishing the date for the scheduled testing and, at the earliest opportunity, arrange a meeting with the relatives to go through the process.”

An outside contractor carried out the previous tests, with the safety scheme being dubbed “vandalism” by a member of Peebles Community Council.

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However, the next phase will be carried out by SBC employees.

“What the relatives will be able to do well in advance of the 28 days, which was the previous advance warning, is to meet with the people that do the testing and officers to answer queries and worries that they have about this,” said Mr Tatler.

He said he wanted to ensure it would cause “as little distress as possible this time around”.

Mr Tatler told that meeting that best practice would be used by the council, “as we did last time”.

But Mr Maudsley claimed that during the last phase, Scottish Government guidelines for burial ground memorial safety did not appear to be followed.

“You might recollect that I put a report together back in 2019,” said Mr Maudsley. “A member of the public that contacted me recently was concerned that the Peeblesshire News carried an article stating that the officers were going to be doing as they did previously in trying to contact relatives. But back in 2019, our investigations didn’t seem to demonstrate that much had actually been attempted in contacting the relatives at the time.”

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Mr Tatler said he was not in a position to comment on what happened in 2019, adding: “I came in at the end of the process, and we responded to peoples’ concerns about that. I believe they did make efforts, but it was the older part of the graveyard they were dealing with, so perhaps it was more challenging to find relatives that were still alive effectively. This time around, I know they will be attempting to contact all the relatives involved.”

Following the meeting, this paper contacted SBC for a statement.

A spokesperson said: “As a local authority we are ultimately responsible for the management and upkeep of burial grounds in the Scottish Borders.

“This responsibility includes ensuring the safety of those visiting and working in their burial grounds.

“Prior to any testing, the council erects notices at any entrances into a cemetery and contacts relevant local members and community councils in advance of these works taking place.

“As with all of the work we carry out in graveyards, we will ensure the work is undertaken with due respect and only by trained staff.

“I can confirm that we have received a complaint in relation to works being undertaken in cemeteries within a conservation area protected by a statutory listing. An investigation into this complaint is currently taking place.”