Enfield Council has welcomed the appointment of an inspector by the Ministry of Justice, who will investigate very serious concerns raised about the condition, practices and management of the privately owned and operated Tottenham Park Cemetery.
The cemetery recently went into administration. It had previously been subject to a number of complaints from the Tottenham Park Charitable Trust and the community about the way it was being managed.
Enfield Council leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan, met officials from the Ministry of Justice in September to discuss the case and urge the Ministry to intervene in the case.
The MOJ has confirmed the appointment of Peter Mitchell as an inspector with a remit to investigate concerns around the condition of the cemetery.
Cllr Caliskan said: “A number of very serious concerns have been raised about the condition, practices and management of the cemetery which have caused considerable distress and upset to families who have their loved ones buried at Tottenham Park Cemetery.
“It is right and proper that the Ministry of Justice has appointed an inspector to inspect the cemetery so that these deeply upsetting concerns can be addressed and I am pleased that this has happened and that he will be reporting back by 20 December. This is something that I and the Tottenham Park Charitable Trust have been calling for.
“This marks an important step forward in ensuring the voices of the relatives of those buried in Tottenham Park Cemetery are heard and we will fully support the investigation.”
Although it had no statutory power to intervene into the management of the cemetery, Enfield Council did so to address health and safety concerns and supported the families of people buried at the site when concerns were first raised.