9 September 2016

Kapiti’s chance for education around scattering of ashes

Kapiti District Council should add an education element to their proposed bylaw around the scattering of ashes if they do press ahead with it, says the Funeral Directors Association.

“The Regulatory Management Committee’s decision to recommend that the scattering of ashes be banned except in certain areas is disappointing: in the first place, that it even wants to restrict where people can disperse the ashes of their loved ones, and also that they have no intention of enforcing the bylaw anyway.

“They’re not taking into account the feelings of grieving families. Scattering ashes in public places is part of who we are as New Zealanders. It’s part of our ritual of saying goodbye, and councils should respect that. And where’s the evidence that harm is being caused?

“The bylaw is a waste of time because the council has admitted it won’t be enforcing it. What’s the point of having a bylaw you have no intention of enforcing? I don’t understand that and I’m sure neither do most ratepayers.

“However, if the full council, in their wisdom, do accept the Regulatory Management Committee’s recommendation on 29 September then they should take the opportunity to add an educational element to it.

“At the very least the regulation should be changed to anyone considering scattering ashes should first pick up educational material from the council. That way they might be able to educate people on the best and most sensitive way of scattering ashes, and maybe go some way to appeasing both sides of the argument.

“The council would be making an effort to contribute something to people’s knowledge about the subject, and ratepayers could point to something positive from this from their rates.”

ends

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