Council set to run cemetery | Warwick News | Local News in Warwick

Steps taken: (Front) Eden Gardens Memorial Park board chairman Cec Watts, with (right) Southern Downs Regional Mayor Ron Bellingham and (back) board member Father Kevin Noble and Lorna Shaddock, whose husband Gordon purchased the land Eden Gardens is on in 1962.

Warwick Daily News

FORTY years after the first person was buried at Eden Gardens Memorial Park, steps are finally being taken to secure the future of the lawn cemetery.

At the general meeting on Monday, the Southern Downs Regional Council agreed to the potential transfer of the Eden Gardens Memorial Park to council, as the company struggles to maintain costs.

Eden Gardens Memorial Park board chairman Cec Watts said the decision was a memorandum of understanding between both organisations, to give council power to maintain the grounds.

“Eden Gardens began as a trust, run by a board, but when the issue of litigation came up it was made into a company to protect the board members,” Mr Watts told the Daily News.

“It is still run as a not-for-profit organisation however, which just runs on the sale of plots... it's not feasible.

“The memorandum of understanding is to work out a way of fixing it.”

Southern Downs Regional Mayor Ron Bellingham said after a request for assistance from the Eden Gardens management in November 2005, council sought legal advice on the range of options available.

“Council will need to go to the Supreme Court to change the management structure,” Councillor Bellingham said.

“I've been talking to Cec as a member of my other council, certainly I'm aware of and will try to find a solution as to how we can achieve what is necessary for the community... a lot of the people from our community have been buried (at Eden Gardens Memorial Park).”

Eden Gardens, which is on land purchased by Gordon Shaddock, was established in 1969 as a company limited by guarantee.

Under Section 497 of the Local Government Act 1993 council cannot invest in a company limited by guarantee, but can invest in a company limited by shares.

Cr Bellingham said while preference would be for the cemetery to remain outside of council's responsibilities, it was obvious after lengthy investigation and legal advice the best way to secure the future of the facility was for council to take over Eden Gardens.

It is estimated the annual operating/maintenance costs of Eden Gardens would be $60,000, offset by revenue generated from burials linked to owners of new agreements.