Apply for a memorial bench

1.     Introduction

1.1    The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, the council has established certain eligibility criteria to ensure that memorial benches in our parks and green spaces are managed and regulated for the mutual benefit of all park users and residents. These criteria are designed to maintain a balance between honouring loved ones and preserving the natural beauty and purpose of these public spaces.

2.     Objectives 

This policy has been produced with the following guiding principles:

• To be respectful and sympathetic to those seeking to install a memorial
• To be clear and easily understood by residents and park users
• To balance the differing needs of a variety of park users
• To ensure that the parks’ primary recreational purpose is not compromised and the high quality of their appearances are maintained
• To establish responsibility for the maintenance, repair and replacement of memorials

2.2    The policy will ensure that memorials:

• Have permission from the next of kin 
• Have a common appearance, style and size
• Will not cause offence to others 
• Are not out of place in the park in which they are placed

2.3    This policy relates to all parks and green spaces owned by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, with the exception of cemeteries and churchyards. 

3.    General

3.1    Applications for memorial benches should be made using the official application form and should be signed by the applicant. The applicant should have permission from the next of kin. The application can be found online (Apply for a Memorial Bench). Enquiries can also be made via email and telephone.

    Email: environment@kingston.gov.uk
    Telephone: 0208 547 5002

3.2    All memorials must be paid for by the applicant before the completion of installation.

3.3    The Council will attempt to accommodate the wishes of applicants, but it may limit the number of memorials in a particular area or park.

3.4    The Council accepts no responsibility if a memorial is damaged, vandalised or stolen.

3.5    The Council reserves the right to remove or relocate memorial benches.       

3.6    The Council will only permit memorials to individuals. Applications for memorials for historical events are unlikely to be accepted. Deceased pets will not be considered.

4.    Memorial Benches

4.1    Applicants can apply for benches to be installed in parks in memory of loved ones. The council may consider benches in new locations, however, applicants may only be offered locations for replacement benches. 

4.2    Requests to affix additional/new plaques to existing benches will not be accepted.

4.3    Benches must be of the type and colour specified by the Council in order to be coordinated with any other benches already situated in the intended location. 

4.4    A concrete base will be required at additional cost for a location based on grass areas. The Council  will be responsible for all installation work. 

4.5    Memorial plaques fitted to benches are to be a standard height of 40mm and width of 200mm at a depth of 5mm. They will be fitted to the centre of the upper most lath of the back of the bench. 

4.6     The inscription on the plaque is to be restricted to “In the Memory of” the name of the person and the dates of birth and death. Unless other appropriate wording is approved at the Council’s discretion (e.g. “A special Dad/Mum, Always in our thoughts”). The engraved plaque will be fitted to the bench by the Council's contractors.

4.7    The Council, in accordance with its current maintenance programme, will maintain any memorial bench. It accepts no replacement liability for the plaque or bench. Any replacements of benches or plaques will be the responsibility of the original applicant and this process must follow the same application procedure within this Policy. 

4.8    The bench will be ‘sponsored’ by the applicant for a period of ten years following installation. The Council has the right to remove the bench and/or plaque during and after this period. The Council will attempt to contact the sponsor prior to relocation or removal of the bench or plaque. (Note: The notice period for relocation or removal will be determined and deemed reasonable by the council on a case to case basis).

4.9    No additional mementoes, e.g. statues, flowers, wreaths, vases, etc. will be permitted on or around the bench.

4.10    Any maintenance by a third party after initial installation of benches or plaques will be in agreement with the Council.

4.11    The Council will procure and charge for the bench, base, plaque and installation cost.

4.12    Should there already be sufficient benches in the park of the applicant’s choice; the applicant may be offered an alternative location or park.

4.13    Should the park of the applicant’s choice have sufficient benches and the applicant does not wish to consider an alternative park, they may be offered an existing bench within the park to replace, but they will be charged the cost of a new bench for this service. This offer will be at the sole discretion of the Council. 

4.14    Only sites which do not already have a sufficient number of benches will be considered. This will be determined by any site specific management plan or the Green Space Strategy.

4.15     Only Suitable locations within the site where people are likely to make good use of the bench will be considered. These will be areas which lack any seating nearby or are at a likely stopping point such as a particular view or rest point near a path. In addition, the location will be chosen to minimise future maintenance and vandalism. Remote locations with poor access for maintenance and users will not be considered. 

4.16    In locations where there will be several benches in the same area, no more than 50% will be offered as a placement for a memorial bench. This is to prevent the area taking on the ambience of a dedicated memorial garden which may compromise the enjoyment of the space for general recreational activities.