A new management plan for Mākara, Karori and Tawa cemeteries has been approved, following a unanimous vote by Wellington City Councillors today.

Mākara Cemetery and Karori Cemetery are both at critical points in terms of capacity, and Mayor Andy Foster says the plan will set the direction for how they are managed over the next 10 years and beyond.

“The management plan follows an extensive assessment of the city’s functional and operational needs, with the aim of understanding changing community needs and expectations, as well as providing for a diverse range of views and beliefs.

“We engaged with a wide range of cemetery users through an informal pre-consultation, which was followed by a formal consultation on a draft plan towards the end of last year.”

Chair of the Pūroro Rangaranga | Social, Cultural and Economic Committee, Councillor Jill Day, says feedback received during the process was used to shape the final plan.

“We’d like to thank everyone who took the time to make a submission. The updated plan marks a new era for Wellington city’s cemeteries, and will ensure we can be sustainable where possible, and continue to meet the needs of our growing city, now and in the future.”

The Cemeteries Management Plan addresses a wide range of issues, including:

• Providing for future demand by acquiring more land and doing the master planning for its development.
• Providing as much choice as possible for people’s diverse beliefs and wishes around burial and cremation.
• Streamlining the bookings and online information through a new Cemeteries Management System.
• Encouraging people to visit and enjoy our cemeteries for appropriate forms of recreation, and respecting the cemeteries as special places of peace and respite.
• Recognising the important cultural, historic and natural heritage in our cemeteries and planning how we will look after it.
• Encouraging and supporting community groups to work in partnership with us to care for and promote the heritage in our cemeteries.
• Assisting people interested in family history by improving access to online cemetery records and maps.
• Developing master plans to guide future cemetery development, landscape management and visitor wayfinding.
• Integrating sustainable management with cemetery operations where possible, for example through natural burials.

The final plan will be published in mid-July.

Find out more at: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/cemeteries

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