URGENT repairs are being made to headstones and memorials found to present a “high risk” to the public in East Renfrewshire.

The risk of collapse was discovered during inspections prompted by a tragic accident that killed a young boy in Glasgow’s Craigton Cemetery.

A “significant” number of sections of Cathcart Cemetery were found to be of high risk to members of the public and East Renfrewshire Council staff.

Councillors on the local authority’s cabinet heard last week that a contract has been awarded for up to £150,000 to Memsafe Memorial Safety Management because of the urgent need to minimise risk.

Council papers state: “This will quickly allow the council to assess the true degree of risk and failure rate of headstones/memorials within Cathcart.

“As evidenced by the Glasgow incident, a risk to life cannot be ruled out.”

Headstones up to 3.5m high at Cathcart Cemetery will be visually and physically assessed, with photographs taken to record the details in an effort to also digitalise cemetery records.

Memorials will then be made safe if necessary but the council points out it is not responsible for the repair of headstones, as that is the responsibility of the lair-holder.

In some cases, memorials are 200 years old but a full cost implication won’t be known until the inspections are finished.

Reviews of all other council-run cemeteries and churchyards within East Renfrewshire, including those in Barrhead and Neilston, will have to be carried out using internal resources.

However, cabinet papers state the risk level for those locations is not considered to be as high.

The council report concludes: “The urgency of mitigating risk to the public and workforce is essential. The initial inspection work will commence the process of proactive risk reduction for East Renfrewshire Council and the award of this work will enable this to be undertaken within timeframes which are reflective of the risk level associated with this area of work.

“The output of this work will then allow for further decision making on the remedies appropriate to Cathcart Cemetery.”

Eight-year-old Ciaran Williamson died when he was struck by a falling headstone at Craigton Cemetery, in Cardonald, in 2015.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry concluded Glasgow City Council could have prevented the tragedy and recommended that new memorial safety guidance be sent to all Scottish local authorities.

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