Cemetery Regulations - have your say

Overview

North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) operates 13 cemeteries where residents of North Northamptonshire can choose to be buried:

Corby: Shire Lodge NN17 2AE, Rockingham Road NN17 1AD

Kettering: Rothwell Road NN16 8XE, Broughton NN14 1ND, Burton Latimer NN15 5LU, Cransley NN14 1PX, Desborough NN14 2QB, Rothwell NN14 1RX, Pytchley NN14 1ET, Kettering NN15 7PF

Wellingborough: Doddington Road NN8 2 JH, Finedon NN9 5NS Wollaston, NN29 7PP

The space in the cemeteries is being utilised as the population of North Northamptonshire continues to grow, which is increasing the demand for cemetery places. The cemeteries in Rushden and East Northants are not affected as the burial grounds are managed by the relevant Town and Parish Councils.

There are currently different regulations across the 13 cemeteries for the management of sites, depending on postcode. The council is proposing to harmonise the management of the cemeteries and the regulations, into one overall set of Regulations.

North Northamptonshire Cemetery Regulations

The 13 working cemeteries, now managed by NNC, have been established over the last 60 years. Over time, a range of choices of burial options has become available to residents across the cemeteries. Not all options are available in all the cemeteries:

• Traditional with kerb sets – all cemeteries (other than Rothwell Road)
• Lawn cemeteries – Shire Lodge extension Corby, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Doddington Road Wellingborough,
• Children and babies – most cemeteries
• Multi Faith areas – Shire Lodge extension Corby, Doddington Road Wellingborough, Rothwell
• Green (meadowland) Rothwell and Pytchley
• Mausoleums Wellingborough and Rothwell Road, Kettering
• Ashes – all cemeteries
• Oversized memorials – Rothwell Road, Kettering

Most of the cemeteries have moved to summer and winter opening times to help manage the safety of visitors and staff. Cemeteries are not well lit and grave sets and memorials can become slip, trip and fall hazards in low light. Closing the cemeteries also helps to discourage anti-social behaviour and damage to memorials. It is proposed that new opening times will apply to all the cemeteries as follows:

1st April to 30th September: 8:00 am – 7:30 pm

1st October to 31st March: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

We want to hear your views and feedback on the proposed Draft Cemetery Regulations.

All feedback will be reviewed for consideration by Executive. If the proposed draft Cemetery Regulations are approved by Executive, it will become effective on the 1^st calendar day of the month following agreement by Council Executive.

The harmonisation of the Cemetery Regulations will not affect memorials already in place on graves in cemeteries, which have been installed with the regulations in place at that cemetery at the time of installation.

Have your say

As residents of North Northamptonshire and users of services, we welcome your feedback regarding our proposed Draft Cemetery Regulations.

Please tell us your views by completing this questionnaire. Your feedback will be part of a report with many other people’s feedback, so you will not be personally identified.

Alternatively, you can email or send your comments in by post using the contact details below:

Email address:  yourvoicematters@northnorthants.gov.uk

Postal address: FAO Sam Diamond
                          Rothwell Road Cemetery
                          Warren Hill
                          Kettering, NN16 8XE 

If you would like a copy of this survey in any other format, please contact the Bereavement Services Team on 01536 525722.

You can also access this online questionnaire free of charge at any North Northamptonshire Council library. Please see the Library website or telephone 0300 126 3000 to check opening times.

This survey closes at 23.59 on 7 September 2025.

For information about how consultation and engagement responses are managed, please see the consultation and engagement privacy notice